Identity theft in the USA: evidence from 2002 to 2006
Kai S. Koong, Lai C. Liu, Shuming Bai, Binshan Lin · International Journal of Mobile Communications · 2008
Advances in mobile commerce and communication technologies have enabled businesses to reach clients across the globe who were not previously accessible. Unfortunately, mobile communications has also opened up an opportunity for electronic crimes. This study examines the occurrences of identity theft and where they were committed in the USA. Based on the 2002 to 2006 data sets obtained from the Federal Trade Commission, the number of identify theft cases reported was highest in states and geographic regions with the largest populations. However, when the population was factored in, the trends were quite different. Second, the growth rates have levelled off since 2003. Year 2006 was the first year that showed an actual decline in the number of reported cases.