Some recent trends and actions are emerging regarding identity theft, the fastest growing crime in the United States.
- Colorado, which had the fifth highest number of identity theft victims in 2005, is considering making identity theft a felony. Previously, thieves were charged with fraud, forgery and other related offenses, according to the Fort Collins Coloradoan, www.coloradoan.com.
- People between the ages of 18 and 34 are more likely to share their personal information, according to Javelin Research's 2006 Identity Fraud Survey.
- The Utah State Attorney General introduced a new identity theft reporting system in an effort to cut down on the amount of time victims spend proving their identity has been stolen, KUTV.com reported. The system will be used to identify trends in these thefts across multiple jurisdictions.
- The Federal Trade Commission announced its support for the 30-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in advocating new, more aggressive action against SPAM. Additionally, the OECD recommended that nations take action against spammers foreign and domestic, provide investigative assistance to police in other countries and cooperate with industry and consumer groups to educate users about spam.
- North Carolina's Department of Justice has received complaints from some job seekers who are wary of suspicious activity on career-building websites, the Greensboro News-Record reported, www.news-record.com. They fear thieves may be using check-cashing and work-at-home schemes to get customers' financial information.
- More and more companies and state and local governments are investing in redaction software that will remove sensitive personal information from records to prevent identity theft. Aptitude Solutions provides its aiRedact software to Broward and Hillsborough counties in Florida, as well as to counties in other states, according to Computerworld.com.