ITAC Urges Justice Department to Implement Inspector General Recommendations Regarding Identity Theft

According to a report issued by the agency’s Inspector General yesterday, identity theft has faded as a priority at the Justice Department despite the fact that the Department’s own Criminal Division has testified that identity theft is one of the nation’s fastest growing crime.

Identity crime victims want and deserve justice. As the national advocate for identity theft victims and a leading voice on identity policy, ITAC, Identity Theft Assistance Center urges the Justice Department to implement the inspector general’s recommendations quickly.

We urge the Department of Justice to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat identity theft, collect better statistics on victims and perpetrators and publish those numbers faster, and appoint an individual to coordinate DOJ’s strategy.

The financial services industry is eager to work with the Department on fighting identity theft, a crime that has two victims, the consumer and the company that’s defrauded. With an estimated 10 million Americans becoming victims of identity theft on an annual basis, it is critical for the Department of Justice to enhance its efforts and do a better job of helping ensure identity crime victims receive the justice they deserve.

- Anne Wallace, President of ITAC, the Identity Theft Assistance Center