Introduction
The Internet and other emerging technologies have revolutionized the way people, government departments, and corporations pursue their goals. More individuals are relying on such innovations to engage in activities that can generate income. However, hackers, phishers, and cyber-terrorists are relying on these advancements to engage in criminal behaviors. One of the outstanding challenges affecting many stakeholders in different parts of the world is that of identity theft. This discussion examines this problem, why people need to remain worried, and the most appropriate mitigation strategies.
Defining Identity Theft
The forces of innovation, globalization, and immigration have presented additional challenges that individuals and government agencies should not ignore. Identity theft is a unique problem that is presently affecting the experiences and goals of many individuals in different parts of the world. Sovern identifies it as “the appropriation of someone else’s identity to commit fraud or theft” (223). This kind of consumer predicament is linked to the loss and use of another person’s information to impersonate. Most of the victims will end up losing their savings and even be featured in pornographic materials and fake news. The offenders tend to have diverse expectations and goals, such as the desire to commit fraud, damage another individual’s image, or steal funds.
Information technology (IT) specialists have presented phishing as a new form of identity theft. Stafford indicates that the malpractice usually takes people when hackers send fraudulent e-mails to different Internet users and subscribers impersonating merchants, banks, and Internet service providers (202). The primary aim is to steal confidential financial data (Stafford 202). Individuals should be aware of all forms of attacks and understand how they can affect their experiences. The seriousness of this predicament, therefore, explains why different stakeholders have been on the frontline to address it and protect more unsuspecting customers and citizens.
Why People Should Remain Worried
The issues associated with identity theft explain why citizens should be worried and consider evidence-based ways to protect themselves against any form of abuse or defamation. Several case studies and scenarios have emerged in the recent past that highlight the dangers of this malpractice. For instance, Stafford reveals how a student realized that someone had succeeded in renting an apartment in the same city under his name (201). Another individual had also realized with shock that another person had accessed and used his credit cards to view pornographic content on the Internet (Stafford 201). Within the past two decades, the media has reported numerous cases whereby unsuspecting people had lost their identities under unfamiliar circumstances (Stafford 201). These cases reveal that identity theft is a major problem that is capable of affecting any individual irrespective of financial status, age, and gender.
This malicious act continues to remain troublesome since the Internet is available to more people than ever before. A report by the FTC in 2003 revealed that around 9.9 people had become victims of this problem within the last 12 months (Stafford 201). Consumers whose visas and information had fallen in the hands of phishers had recorded losses “estimated at $5 billion” (Stafford 201). Additionally, the report indicated that many citizens would spend around 30 hours trying to analyze and solve some of the issues arising from identity theft (Stafford 202). These observations indicate that the consequences and predicaments associated with this form of malpractice will continue to grow.
Established corporations, emerging firms, and government agencies are relying on interconnected systems that are intended to transform the level of information sharing. Individuals will receive paperwork and digital tools that can guide them to pursue their aims. Unfortunately, most of these resources and systems tend to increase the risk for identity theft. The globe has become a small village whereby people are capable of communicating instantly, sharing information, and engaging in strategies that can promote economic performance (Sovern 235). These developments present additional loopholes and opportunities for individuals with negative intentions to pursue their goals.
The issues many people experienced before the end of the 20th led to new strategies to deal with this security threat. For example, the government passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act (ITAD) that redefined identity theft as a serious offense that would attract legal proceedings in 1998 (Stafford 201). In 2003, Present Bush went further to sign the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003 (FACTA) to make it a law (Stafford 201). The purpose of this legislation was to protect all users of consumers relying on credit cards to complete their transactions successfully. More people were also willing to get credit card numbers. The policy requires merchants and businesspeople to omit some of the credit cards digits printed on the issued receipts. These decisions explain why all citizens in the United States and across the globe should be worried about the problems of identity theft.
Protecting Personal Identity from Theft
Scholars and researchers have presented various initiatives that individuals and organizations can consider to protect themselves against any form of identity theft. The first one could entail the use of purely online bill processing and banking processes. This initiative is capable of minimizing the chances of attacks since hackers and criminals will be unable to access paper trails (Stafford 202). Due to the nature of digital processing, specialists and technicians will be in a position to identity actions that are suspicious and capable of affecting the integrity of a person’s credit card or banking information.
Corporations can cooperate with different agencies, citizens, and departments to identify possible sources of threats and mitigate them accordingly. Stafford explains how a report by the Federal Trade Commission supported cooperation as a powerful strategy that was capable of fighting some of the challenges associated with identity theft (203). The concept of teamwork allows government groups, government departments, and business entities to form teams that can combat this challenge efficiently. This initiative has worked effectively in the past to address the predicament and take more people closer to their goals.
Prudent customers have a role to play if they are to address this issue. Such stakeholders can engage in activities that make it easier for them to preserve their documents and identities. They can achieve their aim by ensuring that their credit cards and documents are inaccessible to unauthorized persons. Banks and other financial agencies should be part of the process and provide timely instructions to their clients (Sovern 236). These coordinated efforts will reduce the risks of phishing and identity theft. Additionally, citizens should be keen to identify spam e-mails and avoiding opening them since they usually contain suspicious malware and viruses intended to capture or steal confidential information. This strategy will make it easier for more people to deal with this problem at a personal level and eventually protect themselves against any form of attack.
New suggestions have emerged in the past that can support the ongoing fight against identity theft. For instance, Sovern argues that Congress should employ a strategy that is flexible and capable of involving all key partners (239). This move means that lenders and credit bureaus should be liable for any form of identity theft. These stakeholders should also be on the frontline to identify evidence-based measures to prevent this malpractice. Actors in the credit card industry can go further to implement powerful mechanisms to improve the level of security. Such an initiative will ensure that all customers receive additional instructions to improve the level of security (Sovern 238). Finally, users of the Internet, social media platforms, and websites should avoiding visiting suspicious links and sites that might contain harmful content. The inclusion of anti-viruses and firewalls will minimize the possibility of identity theft and minimize the challenges associated with this malpractice.
Conclusion
The above discussion has identified identity theft as a major security concern that is associated with numerous challenges, such as loss of financial resources and defamation. Individuals should be concerned about this malpractice because I can affect their life experiences and achievements. The problems associated with it explain why all key stakeholders should collaborate and find evidence-based solutions to minimize chances of identity theft. Citizens can benefit from additional instructions and ideas intended to protect their browsing experiences and credit cards. The combination of these measures will reduce the possibilities of this malpractice and safeguard people’s confidential data.
Works Cited
Sovern, Jeff. “Stopping Identity Theft.” The Journal of Consumer Affairs, vol. 38, no. 2, 2004, pp. 233-243.
Stafford, Marla R. “Identity Theft: Laws, Crimes, and Victims.” The Journal of Consumer Affairs, vol. 38, no. 2, 2004, pp. 201-203.