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Article: Consumer Practices to Reduce Identity Theft Risk: An Exploratory Study
- Article from:
- Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences
- Article date:
- January 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences Jan 2005. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Empirical results from an exploratory study of identity theft risk reduction behaviors using an online risk assessment quiz revealed that a majority of respondents did not follow the widely recommended practice of obtaining a credit report annually to check for errors and evidence of identity theft, even in states where reports are free of charge. Two other practices frequently reported were not securing incoming mail and carrying identification that includes one's Social security number. These findings support the results of previous research on identity theft risks suggesting a need to educate consumers about certain identity theft risk factors and the strategies to reduce the risk of ...