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Preventing Internet Fraud and Identity Theft

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As our digital economy grows, we’re seeing the Internet affect more and more aspects of our daily lives.   That means the threats posed by identity theft and email scams are growing rapidly.  These thieves aren’t just using personal data to steal your money—they’re also using it for fraud schemes involving social security, employment, and insurance.  While Internet scammers attack victims of all ages, those 40 years old and older are targeted 56% of the time according to the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Fraud and Identity Theft report for 2007. 

The sophistication of Internet scammers is increasing daily—that means that law enforcement must improve its ability to fight back as well.  Fighting cyber crime is one of my top priorities and if I’m elected attorney general, I’ll increase resources dedicated to enforcing and prosecuting fraud committed over the Internet.

Montana ranked 44th in the Nation in 2007 for the per capita number of identity theft victims according to the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel.  That’s a good place to be, but we can do better.  Identity thieves are taking a toll in Montana with over $1.2 million in reported identity theft losses to Montana victims in 2007, primarily from credit card fraud, phone or utilities fraud, and bank account fraud.  We must do more to stop identity theft from occurring, and we must do more to prosecute identity thieves.  

Prevention is truly the best medicine and there are steps we can all take to better educate ourselves to stop cyber scams and identity theft.  I’ll work with stakeholder groups, like the AARP, local Senior Citizens groups, banks, utility companies, and law enforcement to help better educate those most vulnerable to Internet predation and identity theft.