Identity Theft Resource Center and LexisNexis Risk Solutions Study Highlights Consumer, ID Crime Victim, and Government Executive Views of Identity Verification

Sixty-three percent of surveyed government executives say their agency has returned to experiencing pre-pandemic levels of identity fraud

SAN DIEGO, May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC), a nationally recognized nonprofit organization established to support victims of identity crime, and – LexisNexis® Risk Solutions, a leading provider of data, analytics, and technology to help organizations manage risk – has released its IDentification in a Post-Pandemic World Report. The study highlights consumers, identity crime victims, and government executives' views of identity verification.

Based on responses from 986 consumers, self-identified identity crime victims, and government officials, the IDentification in a Post-Pandemic World Report was originally presented at the ITRC 2023 Government "Identivation" Summit in March, supported by LexisNexis Risk Solutions.

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"While consumers and identity crime victims strongly support identity verification efforts by government agencies, our survey shows that both groups are generally uncomfortable sharing personally identifiable information (PII) with agencies," said Eva Velasquez, President and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. "For example, 61 percent of consumers are concerned about giving government agencies their Social Security number (SSN). Identity crime victims are very concerned about their information being compromised in a data breach or misused by a government employee. All of these findings give us additional direction for how we can build confidence in the systems that prove people are who they claim to be and reduce the rate of identity fraud."

"We are proud to continue our collaboration with impactful organizations like the ITRC to protect Americans from identity theft and provide secure and equitable access to government services," said Haywood Talcove, CEO, Government, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "The voices of victims are especially important in this study because every statistic represents a real person and potentially a family negatively impacted by identity theft. The transnational criminals who put an unprecedented strain on pandemic programs continue to attack government benefit systems. Studies such as this can help us improve technology, ensure it is equitable, and continue to assist government agencies as they work to provide critical services to deserving citizens."

The IDentification in a Post-Pandemic World Report shows that security is top-of-mind for consumers, victims and agencies, all of which are vulnerable to security risks. Many government agencies have made significant progress updating technologies and processes in the past year. In fact, 58 percent of government executives surveyed say their organization has modernized technologies since January 2022. The primary improvements were to verify one's identity during account setup (19 percent), engage with a private, third-party organization to provide identity verification (16 percent) and verify one's identity each time they log into their account (14 percent). According to the report, consumers support most of the changes that have been made and do not find identity verification a burden.

• Fifty-two (52) percent of identity crime victims say it is very easy or easy to verify their identity.
• Those who find it difficult say the main reasons include the length of the process, unclear instructions, and a lack of assistance.

The report also found that consumers are generally comfortable sharing their data with government agencies, yet only 16 percent of consumers believe their information is secure. As would be expected, there is an increase in concern among the previous victims of identity crime.

Overall, the study demonstrates that most government organizations have made meaningful improvements, with 63 percent of respondents reporting that their agency has returned to experiencing pre-pandemic levels of identity fraud.

View the full IDentification in a Post-Pandemic World Report here.

About the Identity Theft Resource Center

Founded in 1999, the Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC) is a national nonprofit organization established to empower and guide consumers, victims, business and government to minimize risk and mitigate the impact of identity compromise and crime. Through public and private support, the ITRC provides no-cost victim assistance and consumer education through its website live-chat idtheftcenter.org and toll-free phone number 888.400.5530. The ITRC also equips consumers and businesses with information about recent data breaches through its data breach tracking tool, notified. The ITRC offers help to specific populations, including the deaf/hard of hearing and blind/low vision communities.

About LexisNexis Risk Solutions

LexisNexis® Risk Solutions harnesses the power of data and advanced analytics to provide insights that help businesses and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. We provide data and technology solutions for a wide range of industries, including insurance, financial services, healthcare, and government. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers. For more information, please visit risk.lexisnexis.com and relx.com.

Media Contacts

Identity Theft Resource Center       
Alex Achten       
Director of Communications & Media Relations        
888.400.5530 Ext. 3611       
[email protected]

LexisNexis Risk Solutions       
Paul Eckloff     
Mobile: 202.941.6986     
[email protected]

Media Contact

Alex Achten, Identity Theft Resource Center, 888-400-5530 x 3611, [email protected]

Paul Eckloff, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, 202-941-6986, [email protected]

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SOURCE Identity Theft Resource Center