Understanding Victims of Identity Theft: Preliminary Insights

Identity theft is not a new crime, however changes in society and the way that business is conducted have made it an easier, attractive and more lucrative crime. When a victim discovers the misuse of their identity they must then begin the process of recovery, including fixing any issues that may have been created by the misuse. For some victims this may only take a small amount of time and effort, however for others they may continue to experience issues for many years after the initial moment of discovery. To date, little research has been conducted within Australia or internationally regarding what a victim experiences as they work through the recovery process. This paper presents a summary of the identity theft domain with an emphasis on research conducted within Australia, and identifies a number of issues regarding research in this area. The paper also provides an overview of the research project currently being undertaken by the authors in obtaining an understanding of what victims of identity theft experience during the recovery process, particularly their experiences when dealing with organizations. Finally, it reports on some of the preliminary work that has already been conducted for the research project.