MADISON (WKOW) -
The research firm Javelin Strategy and Research released a report that finds nearly 12 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2011, an increase of 13 percent over 2010.
Javelin's founder told Reuters the use of smart phones and social media by incautious consumers fueled the increase in identity fraud.
With the rise in credit card monitoring and more sophisticated policing by credit card companies, experts believe identity thieves are increasingly targeting users of smartphones and social media.
Javelin founder and President Jim Van Dyke said, "The challenge that we have is that criminals often change faster than everyday consumers or businesses."
The number of people whose information was accessed in a data breach increased by 67 percent in 2011, largely due to some very high-profile thefts, such as the attacks on Sony Corp's PlayStation network in April.
Someone whose personal information is taken in a data breach is 9.5 times more likely to become a victim of identity fraud, Javelin found.
However, dollar losses by consumers remained stable last year despite the increase in the number of victims.
For the past nine years, Javelin has been analyzing data and survey information about identity fraud, usually defined as the opening of new accounts in the name of a victim.
