I want my name back!

The New York Daily News is running an overview of the growing crime of "identity theft." Not too much is news, but it does provide a good summary of how it happens and what sort of effect it can have on those whose information is compromised. Some stats:

New York Daily News - Home - I want my name back!:

"BOOMING BIZ IN CRIME

• Annual ID theft cost: $48 billion
• Number of U.S. victims per year: 9.9 million
• Number of New York state ID theft complaints in 2003: 663,300
• Average thieves' profit setting up new accounts in a victim's name: $10,200
• Number of new accounts set up in the last year: 3.23 million
• Average thieves' profit using existing credit cards: $2,100
• Average time thieves use victims' ID: 3.2 months
• Average out-of-pocket expense per victim: $500
• Average loss to businesses per victim: $4,800

BUSY BEAVERS

Identities reported compromised by hackers or other unauthorized use of data banks in recent weeks:

• LexisNexis/Seisint ................................... 310,000 people
• DSW Shoe Warehouse .................... 1.4 million customers
• ChoicePoint Inc. ...................................... 145,000 people
• Polo Ralph Lauren ............................ 180,000+ customers "