11.7 Million Americans Fraud Victims

The number of U.S. identity theft victims increased during the last two years, with many incidents involving individuals as young as 16.

The latest figures from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, a branch of the U.S. Department of Justice, indicate that at least 11.7 million people from the age of 16 and up have been hit with at least one type of identity theft between 2006 and 2008. That represents 5 percent of that demographic.

Thieves racked up almost $17.3 billion in the two-year period, the report said. However, only 23 percent of identity theft victims actually had to pay out of pocket for the fraudulent charges.

In all, about 42 percent of victims had to work a day or less to resolve the fallout that arose after the crime, the report said. Meanwhile, 3 percent were still experiencing problems six months later.

Check out our additional resources and research on the topic of identity theft. And to help reduce your risk of identity theft, refer to our Consumer Tips.