Identity Theft Statistics
Nationwide’s 2009 statistics on identity theft show victims hit harder during recession
In another sign of the tough economy, Nationwide’s 2009 Identity Theft statistics show more Americans are unable to recover from identity theft. In fact, nearly half of the respondents said that they did not know whether they had enough cash reserves to survive an identity theft.
The new survey also found that 10 percent of identity theft victims polled missed payments due to the crime. Of those victims, four out of five say the theft caused serious repercussions – including lowered credit scores, utility shut offs, bankruptcy, vehicle repossession, foreclosure and even jail time.
Kirk Herath, Chief Privacy Officer for Nationwide Insurance, discussed the hardship individuals face when trying to deal with identity theft.
"If the identity theft involves your credit cards you can often resolve the problems quickly. However, if the fraud involves a debit card, a loan or your health insurance, the impact can be costly and time consuming," he said. "With so many Americans losing their savings and investments, people have less money to fall back on during the time it takes to stop the bleeding."
Victims surveyed also said that the identity theft caused other serious problems, including family problems and missed time at work.
This is the third in a continuing series of surveys conducted by Nationwide to better understand identify theft and the impact on its victims. Learn more identity theft facts, and check out more tips to help protect against identity theft.
2009 Identity Theft Statistics at a Glance
No Backup Plan:
More than half (54%) of respondents were not confident that they would have enough money in reserve to weather the recovery process following identity theft.
Serious Repercussions:
Ten percent of identity theft victims polled missed payments due to the crime. Four out of five victims faced serious repercussions, including lower credit scores, utility shut-offs, bankruptcy, vehicle repossessions, foreclosure and jail time.
Ruined Credit:
Ten percent of identity theft victims said they were denied a home loan, car loan, or credit card because of the crime.
Most Common Victims:
According to our statistics on identity theft, victims tend to be Caucasian, female, ages 35-54, college-educated, married, and employed full-time. Additionally, people who are separated or divorced and those making $75,000 or more per year are more likely to fall prey to identity theft than the general population.
Find more identity theft resources and information
For more details about this year's results, check out Nationwide's press release on identity theft and the 2009 ID Theft Fact Sheet. If you're interested in taking steps to protect your identity, you may want to explore Nationwide's Identity Theft Coverage.
