Bankrate, Inc. released the findings of a national poll that found that eight out of 10 Americans are concerned about their identity being stolen. Furthermore, more than one-third (34%) of Americans know someone who has been a victim of identity theft.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, there were approximately 800,000 consumer complaints filed in 2007. Of those complaints, 32% involved identity theft. The total dollar amount in reported fraud losses was more than $1.2 billion.
Respondents who reported being concerned about identity theft were more likely to shred documents (82%) versus those who are not concerned (52%). Notably, people who are uneasy about identity theft were much more likely to keep tabs on their credit reports. Fifty-three percent of concerned folks check their credit, versus 30% of the unconcerned. Women (83%) were significantly more likely to destroy sensitive information than men (69%).
The national random-digit-dialed phone study of 1,006 adults 18 or older was conducted for Bankrate by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media. The surveys were conducted from April 4 through April 6, 2008. The sample was weighted by demographic factors including age, gender, race, education, and census region to ensure reliable and accurate representation of adults in U.S. households. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points.
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