FTC surveys US ID Theft

The Federal Trade Commission found 8.3 million American adults were victims of identity theft in 2005 in a just-released report. Approximately 1.4% of them had credit card accounts misused and 0.8% had false accounts opened or frauds done in their names. In at least half of all incidents, thieves obtained goods or services worth $500 or less. Seventeen percent of all ID theft victims said that their personal information was used to open at least one new account. The two most common types of accounts that were fraudently opened were land-line and cellular telephone service accounts, reported by 8% of victims, and credit card accounts, reported by 7%.