127 Million U.S. Personal Records Were Reported Compromised in 2007
- By Grey McKenzie
- Published 02/18/2008
Grey McKenzie
National Cyber Security Founder
Cyber security watchdog & one of the nation's leading cyber security experts, Grey McKenzie is also the Founder of SpyCop Security Software.
His clients include members of the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, CIA, State & Local Law Enforcement.
He is regularly consulted by industry leaders regarding cyber security issues.
To schedule a procedural, technical and non-technical network security audit of your company call 902-467-0200
The Identity Theft Resource Center, said 127 million personal records
were reported compromised in the U.S. in 2007, a six-fold increase over
the previous year.
The victims were targeted in many ways, from electronic capture to dumpster diving.
A report by Javelin Strategy states...
"Identity Fraud Continues to Decline, But Criminals More Effective at Using All Channels"
Here is an excerpt from the report...
How Does Identity Theft Happen?
Although many people believe that most identity theft only occurs over the Internet and that hackers are responsible for all identity theft and fraud,
Javelin’s research has found that many thefts occur in the physical world.
In fact, among the 35% of victims who knew how their data was taken, lost or stolen wallets, checkbooks or credit cards accounted for more than twice as many instances of theft than all online channels put together.
Your personal or financial
information can be stolen in a number of different ways:
The victims were targeted in many ways, from electronic capture to dumpster diving.
A report by Javelin Strategy states...
"Identity Fraud Continues to Decline, But Criminals More Effective at Using All Channels"
Here is an excerpt from the report...
How Does Identity Theft Happen?
Although many people believe that most identity theft only occurs over the Internet and that hackers are responsible for all identity theft and fraud,
Javelin’s research has found that many thefts occur in the physical world.
In fact, among the 35% of victims who knew how their data was taken, lost or stolen wallets, checkbooks or credit cards accounted for more than twice as many instances of theft than all online channels put together.
Your personal or financial
- Through a lost or stolen wallet, checkbook or credit card
- Through information stolen in your own home, including by friends, relatives, and in-home employees
- Through mail theft from an unlocked mailbox
- Through eavesdropping by a criminal while you conduct a public transaction (“shoulder surfing”)
- By someone who e-mails, calls, or text messages you, pretending to be a bank or other trusted source to trick you into divulging private information
- By hacking, viruses, and spyware on a computer
- By a data breach at any agency that maintains access to your private information
- By retrieving your unshredded information from a trash can, a method known as “dumpster diving”
- Through new and different methods that criminals are continually developing
