Contents:

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW A. Executive Summary II. OVERALL MEASURES OF IMPACT A. Overall Measures of Impact III. TYPES OF ACCOUNTS MISUSED A. Summary of Types of Accounts Misused B. Categories of Identity Theft C. Incidence of Identity Theft, Past Five Years D. Incidence of Identity Theft, Past Year E. New Accounts and Other Frauds F. Information Misused in Other Ways G. Misuse of Existing Non-Credit Card Accounts Fraud IV. MEANS AND PATTERNS OF ACCESS A. Summary of Means and Patterns of Access B. Knowledge of Identity of Criminal C. Identity of Thief D. Awareness of How Information is Obtained E. How Information is Obtained a. Type of Transactions That are Used to Obtain Personal Information b. Kinds of Paper Records Used to Commit Theft E. Identity Theft Involving Lost or Stolen Credit Cards F. Awareness of Theft Before the Fraud Began V. DETECTION A. Summary of Detection B. Method of Discovery C. How Long Ago Did the Victim Discover the Fraud D. Length of Time to Discover Identity Fraud E. Period of Time Information is Used by Criminal VI. RESOLUTION A. Summary of Resolution B. Time to Recover C. Victim’s Contacts to Resolve Fraud a. Specific Entities Conducted to Resolve Fraud D. Number of Credit Bureaus Contacted E. Fraud Alert Data a. Accounts Opened After Fraud Alert F. Law Enforcement Reports Placed VII. DETAILED MEASURES OF IMPACT A. Summary of Detailed Measures of Impact B. Total Value Obtained by Thief C. Victim Out-of-Pocket Cost D. Resolution Time a. Time Spent by Others on Victims’ Behalf E. Other Problems Experienced VIII. BEHAVIOR ACTIVITIES RELATED TO IDENTITY FRAUD SAFETY A. Summary of Behavior and Attitudes B. Percentage of US That Conduct Identity Fraud Prevention Activities C. Percentage of US That Conduct Identity Fraud Detection Activities D. Victims’ Prevention Activities Conducted Before and After Fraud E. Victims’ Detection Activities Conducted Before and After Fraud IX. DEMOGRAPHICS A. Summary of Demographics B. Percentage of US That Experience Existing Credit Card Accounts Fraud C. Percentage of US That Experience Existing Non-Credit Card Accounts Fraud D. Percentage of US That Experience New Accounts and Other Frauds E. Detection Time of Fraud F. Duration of Misuse G. Detection Methods H. Victim’s Knowledge of Criminal’s Identity I. Criminal’s Identity J. Knowledge of How Criminal Obtained Information K. Criminal’s Method of Obtaining Information L. Total Dollar Amount Obtained M. Total Out-of-Pocket Cost of Fraud N. Time Spent Resolving Fraud X. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. Detailed Summary B. Recommendations for Consumers C. Recommendations for Institutions XI. RELATED RESEARCH XII. APPENDIX A. Methodology B. Contributing Organizations C. Appendix I: Sample Calculation of Mean Total Cost D. Appendix II: Sample Calculation of Mean Total Outof- Pocket Cost E. Appendix III: Sample Calculation of Mean Total hours F. Appendix IV: Calculation of 2003 Inflation Adjusted Figures XIII. TABLE OF FIGURES Below is a partial listing of the figures included in the 2005 Identity Fraud Survey Report. - Annual Rates & Costs of Identity Fraud - Rates & Types of Fraud (Per US Consumer) - Measures of Damage: Costs of Identity Fraud in Dollars/Time - Median & Mean Costs of Differing Types of Fraud - Incidence of Identity Theft, Past Five Years - Fraud Account Type, US Adult Population (Five-Year Data) - Incidence of Identity Theft, Past Year - Fraud Account Type, US Adult Population (One-Year Data) - New Accounts and Other Frauds - Information Misused in Other Ways - Misuse of Existing Non-Credit Card Accounts Fraud - Knowledge of Identity of Criminal - Knowledge of Identity of Criminal Cross Tabbed by Fraud Types - Knowledge of Identity of Criminal Cross Tabbed by Detection Time - Knowledge of Identity of Criminal Cross Tabbed by Total Amount Obtained - Identity of Thief - Identity of Thief Cross Tabbed by Fraud Types - Identity of Thief Cross Tabbed by Detection Time - Identity of Thief Cross Tabbed by Total Amount Obtained - Awareness of How Information is Obtained - Awareness of How Information is Obtained Cross Tabbed by Detection Time - Awareness of How Information is Obtained Cross Tabbed by Total Amount Obtained - How Information is Obtained - How Information is Obtained Cross Tabbed by Fraud Types - How Information is Obtained Cross Tabbed by Detection Time - How Information is Obtained Cross Tabbed by Total Amount Obtained - Mean & Median Cost by Method of Obtaining Fraudulent Identification - Type of Transactions That are Used to Obtain Personal Information - Kinds of Records Used to Commit Transaction-Based Identity Theft - Identity Theft Involving Lost or Stolen Credit Cards - Awareness of Theft Before the Fraud Began - Method of Discovery - Method of Discovery Cross Tabbed by Fraud Types - Method of Discovery Cross Tabbed by Detection Time - Mean Length of Time until Detection - Method of Discovery Cross Tabbed by Total Amount Obtained - Method of Discovery Compared to Mean & Median Obtained - How Long Ago Did the Victim Discover the Fraud - Length of Time to Discover Identity Fraud - Length of Time to Detection - Time to Discover Cross Tabbed by Fraud Types - Time to Discover Cross Tabbed by Total Amount Obtained - Period of Time Information is Used by Criminal - Median & Mean Length of Misuse of Information - Length of Misuse Compared to the Types of Account Fraud - Time to Recover - Time to Recover Cross Tabbed by Fraud Types - Victim’s Contacts to Resolve Fraud - Specific Entities Contacted to Resolve Fraud - Time between Discovery and Contact of a Credit Bureau - Number of Credit Bureaus Contacted - Fraud Alert Data - Accounts Opened After Fraud Alert - Law Enforcement Reports Placed - Cost Per Fraud Victim - Total US Annual Cost of Identity Fraud - Total Value Obtained by Thief – Median & Mean - Total Value Obtained by Thief Minus Cases Over $100 K - Total Value Obtained by Thief - Total Value Obtained Cross Tabbed by Fraud Types - Median & Mean Costs of Fraud Types - Total Value Obtained Cross Tabbed by Detection Time - Victim Out-of-Pocket Cost - Out-of-Pocket Cost per Fraud Victim - Out-of-Pocket Cost per Fraud Victim Minus Out-of-Pocket Cases Over $10K - Out-of-Pocket Cost Cross Tabbed by Fraud Types - Out-of-Pocket Cost Cross Tabbed by Detection Time - Out-of-Pocket Cost Cross Tabbed by Total Amount Obtained - Resolution Time - Time Spent on Identity Theft Resolution - Resolution Time Cross Tabbed by Fraud Type - Resolution Time Cross Tabbed by Detection Time - Resolution Time Cross Tabbed by Total Amount Obtained - Time Spent by Others on Victims’ Behalf - Other Problems Experienced - Summary of Behavior Activities Related to Identity Fraud Safety - Percentage of US That Conduct Identity Fraud Prevention Activities - Percentage of US That Conduct Identity Fraud Detection Activities - Victims’ Fraud Prevention Activities Conducted Before Fraud Compared to the US Adult Population

Methodology

The 2004 survey included most questions that were deployed in the 2003 FTC Identity Theft Survey Report. The 2003 survey was closely mirrored in order to provide longitudinal trends on incidence rates, crime patterns, detection and resolution methods, and more. Furthermore, the new survey added a select number of new questions related to personal behavior in the areas of finance, payments, document storage, mail, and more, in order to identify potential correlations between behavior and actual fraud patterns. As with the FTC study, Synovate was responsible for all phases of data collection, including Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) programming, testing, and telephone interviewing with a nationally representative sample. While the sponsors of this project (CheckFree, Visa USA, and Wells Fargo Bank) were invited to comment on questionnaire content, they were not involved in the tabulation, analysis or reporting of final results. The Better Business Bureau contributed in survey design and as a general advisor in areas related to consumer protection. The Federal Trade Commission played an essential advisory role during the creation and analysis of this 2005 report.