Protecting personal information in the era of identity theft:just how safe is our personal information from identity thieves?

Abstract

Identity theft has become one of the fastest growing white collar crimes in the world. It occurs when an individual’s personal information such as inter alia, name, date of birth or credit card details is used by another individual to commit identity fraud. Identity theft can be committed via physical means or online. The increased use of the Internet for business and financial transactions, social networking and storage of personal information has facilitated the work of identity thieves. Identity theft has an impact on the personal finances and emotional well-being of victims, and on financial institutions and economies of countries. It presents challenges for law enforcement agencies and governments worldwide. The article looks at the relationship between identity theft crimes and the protection of personal information, and legislative solutions introduced in South Africa, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and India to combat identity theft crimes. The article examines measures introduced by the respective governments in these countries to counteract such crimes. Finally, the article will propose a way forward to counteract such crimes in the future. The study reveals that identity theft is a growing and evolving problem that requires a multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary approach by law enforcement agencies, businesses, individuals and collaboration between countries. It is advocated that businesses should take measures to protect personal information better and individuals should be educated about their rights, and be vigilant and protect their personal information in the physical world and in cyberspace.