COSTA MESA, Calif. - According to the latest Experian-Gallup Personal Credit Index survey, nearly one in five (19%) consumers report they have had their financial information stolen, including a bank or credit card number. Approximately one in seven (14%) say they have had their personal information stolen, such as a birth certificate, driver's license or Social Security number.
Combined, 26% of Americans report being the victim of one type of theft, while 7% report experiencing both.
Three in 10 consumers among the following demographic groups reported having had their personal or financial information stolen: college graduates (30%), those reporting annual household incomes of $75,000 or more (30%), people residing in the Western region of the country (31%), and Americans between the ages of 30 and 49 (30%).
Twenty-one percent of those who had experienced either form of theft said they knew the person who stole their information.
About one-third (34%) of Americans think there is nothing they can do to prevent what they perceive as identity theft.
The percentage is even higher (42%) among those under the age of 30.
"While every American should be aware of the risks associated with having their financial or personal information stolen, young adults, in particular, should recognize that the theft is often committed by someone they know," said Dennis Jacobe, chief economist for The Gallup Organization. "In fact, the results of our survey show that 42% of those in this younger age group knew the person who stole their information."
For info: www.PersonalCreditIndex.com.
