IDENTITY THEFT- Trends

The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC- https://www.idtheftcenter.org/) is a non-profit organization that educates the public on how to prevent identity theft in their lives and helps victims of identity theft to recover from crimes as a result of identity theft. As a result of its work, the ITRC collects data on identity theft. The ITRC periodically publishes reports based on this data.

The recently published 2026 Trends in Identity Report (TIR) provides insights into how criminals steal identities and the effects those thefts have on the lives of their victims.

Your Personal Identity Information (PII) can be compromised in one of 5 ways,

·         Scams- Scams are the leading method of identity compromise at 36% of all reported cases. This represents a 7% decrease compared to its 2025 TIR. The report notes that scams require the victim’s participation for the criminal to receive the PII. Criminals will use psychological techniques known as social engineering to get the victim into an emotional state and to convince the victim that they need to act often to pay some money and to give over their identity information.

·         Unauthorized Device Access- This is where a cybercriminal inserts malware that extracts information useful to the criminal into your PC, laptop, tablet, or smart phone. A leading method for this type of attack is a phishing email or text message. But malware can also be inserted into your device through a website that you visit that may not be from a reputable company or organization. 27% of all cases reported to ITRC involved unauthorized device access, a 12% increase from the year before. Having access to your device gives cybercriminals access to all of your personal information stored in it.

·         Physical Theft- Physical theft of a document or device (such as a smartphone, laptop, or tablet computer) amounted to 16% of all cases reported. Documents that are stolen and are the building blocks of an identity include driver’s licenses and state ID’s (23%), Social Security cards (20%), credit and payment cards (12%), and birth certificates (10%). Theft of phones and tablets, which can be a treasure chest of personal information, was about (7%).

·         Data Breaches- This was 10% of all reported cases; a decline compared to last year. The victim will not know about a data breach unless they are notified by the holder of the data.

·         PII on the Dark Web- 4% of cases involved PII on the Dark Web. The Dark Web is especially murky but often include purchases of stolen PII by people who use it to perform criminal acts.

 Now that the criminal has your PII, what do they do with it?

·         Account Takeover- Cyber criminals often take over (or try to) one of your accounts. Accounts that they often target include 1. Checking accounts, 2. Credit cards, 3. Email accounts, 4. Social media, 5. Cell phone accounts, 6. P2P payment apps. While an account takeover is easiest to discover, this is where prevention techniques become important such as Multifactor Authentication (MFA) or passkeys to prevent unauthorized persons from entering your accounts. Frequently monitoring your accounts can help you detect unusual account activity early.

·         New Account Fraud. If the criminal has enough information about you, they may open a new account in your name. This can be a new credit card account, a loan, or they sign a lease. The most common accounts that cybercriminals take out include 1. Credit cards, 2. Checking accounts, 3. Personal loans, 4. Cell phone accounts, 5. Auto loans, 6, Mortgage loans, 7. Federal student loans. The victim often has no idea that a new account has been taken out in their name. If there is discovery the method is more passive and takes longer, often weeks or months after the act. The primary detection method is a notice, from usually a financial institution, that alerts the victim that an account has been taken out in their name. Regularly checking your credit reports can lead to discovery. The most jarring discovery method is a notice from a collection agency that you owe for unpaid bills. To prevent new account fraud, freeze your credit with the 3 credit reporting agencies.

Some crimes just are not on the victim’s radar as far as detection. There is no statement to review, no login to check, no balance to monitor. The hardest crimes to detect include,

·         Fraudulent Employment. If someone applies for a job in your name you have no idea that they have gained employment by impersonating you. You may discover this crime at some point if you apply for a government benefit and learn that it has already been claimed. Or you might learn that income has been reported under your SSN. Fraudulent employment is the most common crime against children giving it a disproportionate impact on kids. A child’s SSN is clean, making it most valuable to criminals. Also, most parents and guardians are not checking their child’s existing credit history or employment record. Therefore, a criminal can use a child’s identity for years before being discovered.

·         IRS Misuse. This is where a criminal files an income tax return in the victim’s name using the victim’s information. This victim most often finds out through a notification from the IRS or another government agency. A few might find out when they check on their account when an expected refund did not arrive or was issued to an account that they did not recognize.

·         Criminal Identity Theft. If someone commits a crime then uses your name when contacted by police, the discovery is a complete shock. Discovery frequently comes with contact with police, such as during a traffic stop. Others learn of the crime during a background check applying for a job. Still others learn about it from an employer.

 

To effectively protect yourself from these crimes you need to use “layered defenses;” that is steps that help you cover several situations. For example,

·         Credit report monitoring helps guard against new account fraud but does not help with account takeover.

·         Account activity monitoring helps protect against existing account takeover but not employment fraud.

·         Credit freezes prevent creation of a new account but does not help with protecting existing accounts.

·         Using MFA or Passkeys protects against device compromise.

 

For more insights from the Trends in Identity report go to- https://www.idtheftcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/The-2026-ITRC-Trends-in-Identity-Report.pdf

 

 

Identity Theft Resource Center:

https://www.idtheftcenter.org/

 

CYBERSECURITY MYTH- Phishing emails are easy to spot due to poor grammar and misspellings

This might have been true in the past, but computer technology is advancing fast, giving scammers easier ways to fool us that an email or text message is authentic. Lately, cybersecurity professionals have been warning about the easy use of AI by scammers to leverage their crimes. They cite several AI capabilities that improve scammers’ abilities to victimize people,

·         Hyper-personalized messages. AI can quickly collect personal data from social media profiles, work bios, and the dark web to personalize any email or text message. This makes the message feel personal and authoritative if you think it is coming from a friend, a coworker, or a business that you know and trust.

·         Perfect grammar and zero typos. AI can know the proper grammar and spelling for any language. This leverages the effectiveness and breadth of a scammer’s campaign.

·         Deepfake audio and video. AI can create audio and video that looks and sounds like any real person. Useful for phone calls that sound like they are from your boss or from your grandchild to convince you to act quickly.

·         Large-scale automated attacks. While scammers have long taken advantage of computer automation to conduct their scam campaigns, AI super sizes their capabilities to allow them to create customized messages faster, more creatively, and to more people.

·         Dangerous links in disguise. AI allows scammers to create more genuine looking fake webpages, making it more difficult to distinguish them from real webpages. Also, AI can create authentic looking URLs.

 

Probably the scariest capability of AI scams is deepfake audio and video. AI can efficiently and rapidly find voice samples or pictures to use for telephone calls or for video. And there is no more checking for six fingers on hands. AI video capability has become way better.

AI allows scammers to quickly and efficiently develop a more effective scam campaign without the scammer needing many high-tech skills, expanding the availability of “good quality” fake audio, video, emails, texts, and websites to more criminals.

While AI makes audio, video, emails, text messages, and web sites look more genuine, there are still red flags that you can look for.

·         Urgency. The scammer wants you to act quickly to make a payment or click on an included link or call a provided phone number in an emotional and urgent situation that the scammer has made up. You should be especially wary if the scammer discourages you from talking to someone else about the situation. cut off communication! If you feel the situation is genuine, talk to a friend or family member or contact the organization that the scammer claims to represent separately.

·         Payment. If you are required to make payment with crypto currency, wire transfers, gift cards, or peer-to-peer apps, cut off communications. These methods are like cash and funds paid through these methods are almost impossible to recover.

·         URL’s. Inspect URL’s of links and email addresses for genuineness. Small spelling mistakes or unusual domains such as “.xyz” instead of “.com” can be tip offs that the links will take you to a webpage that is controlled by the scammer.

Two suggestions,

Safe Word. Cybersecurity professionals are encouraging you to establish a safe word among your family, coworkers, close friends, elderly adults and caregivers, to help verify who you are talking to, especially in an emotional or urgent situation. A safe word can help a family in a grandparent scam. A safe word can help a business in an imposter scam when it looks like the boss is telling you to pay a large amount of money to a client or vendor using an account that is normally not used.

Be your own fact checker. A common rule of thumb is to not click on links or call phone numbers imbedded in emails or text messages, especially if they are suspicious. Contact the company, governmental agency, or organization from a trusted source. This can be the customer service number on the back of your credit card, an invoice or bill, or the website that you have looked up separately.

Scammers are rapidly adopting AI into their operations. The improvement of their fake websites, emails, text messages and audio/video increases the difficulty to detect fakes. This requires all of us to be more careful when we see these types of communication.

 

 

 

 

CBS News:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elder-scams-family-safe-word/

 

National Cybersecurity Alliance:

https://www.staysafeonline.org/articles/why-your-family-and-coworkers-need-a-safe-word-in-the-age-of-ai

 

The Seattle Times:

https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/ai-is-making-travel-scams-nearly-impossible-to-spot-heres-what-to-do/?utm_source=marketingcloud&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning+Brief+02-23-26_2_23_2026&utm_term=Active%20subscriber

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/ai-is-making-scams-hard-to-spot-heres-how-to-protect-yourself/

 

Identity Theft Resource Center:

https://www.idtheftcenter.org/post/ai-scams-harder-to-detect/

https://www.idtheftcenter.org/post/ai-scams-2025/

https://www.idtheftcenter.org/post/voice-cloning-scam/

https://www.idtheftcenter.org/podcast/weekly-breach-breakdown-ai-scams-cybersecurity-risks/

 

Norton:

https://us.norton.com/blog/online-scams/top-5-ai-and-deepfakes-2025

Ask Leo:

https://askleo.com/how-ai-is-revolutionizing-scams-can-we-no-longer-trust-our-eyes-or-ears/

 

 

CRYPTOCURRENCY KIOSKS- Another New Tool for Scammers

It is well known that scammers want to be “paid” with methods that are difficult to reverse. Some of the classics include wire transfers, peer-to-peer transactions, and gift cards. The suggestion of using any of these methods is often used as a red flag that the transaction is suspect and that you should stop communicating with the person who suggests them.

Scammers have added a new method to transfer money to them, cryptocurrency. Converting regular money to or from a cryptocurrency can be done in one of two ways,

·         Cryptocurrency exchange. A cryptocurrency exchange is a digital marketplace where you can buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies. You can send cryptocurrency to your personal cryptocurrency wallet or to another wallet through an exchange. Users need to create an account and deposit funds. They can also use a digital wallet to securely store their currency.

·         Cryptocurrency kiosks. A Cryptocurrency kiosk is a kiosk that looks similar to an ATM, that can be found in high traffic areas such as convenience stores, gas stations, or malls. You can use a crypto kiosk for quick access to your digital wallet, convert cash to a cryptocurrency, pay bills, or transfer funds to another person such as a family member or friend.  

Crypto kiosks are considered easier to operate than an exchange in some ways. All you have to do is walk up to the kiosk, like an ATM, insert cash or a debit card, then send the money on its way in a few steps. You do not have the complications of a crypto exchange. This makes it easier for scammers to instruct victims to send their money. And, once the money is in the scammer’s wallet, the scammer can easily and quickly launder the money so that it is impossible for the victim to recover their funds.

Crypto kiosks have been so successful for scammers that the FBI received 13,400 complaints through its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) in 2025 amounting to $388 million in losses, a 23% increase in complaints and 58% increase in losses over 2024. Of those totals, Washington State had 391 complaints for losses of $8,341,828.

While there are legitimate uses for crypto kiosks, the Iowa Attorney General found that in 2025 at least 94% of transactions from at least two crypto kiosk providers (Bitcoin Depot and CoinFlip) were fraudulent. In addition, money launderers, drug traffickers, and human traffickers have been reported using crypto kiosks to quickly and anonymously move and launder money.  

Scammers have been using the kiosks in all sorts of scams including government impersonation scams, tech support scams, romance and investment scams, and prize and employment scams. Once the scammer convinces the victim that they need to pay or “invest” their money, the scammer will send a QR code to the victim with the address of the scammer’s crypto wallet. The scammer instructs the victim to withdraw cash from their bank, then to go to a nearby crypto kiosk. Sometimes, the scammer will keep the victim on the phone throughout the process to give detailed instructions and to ensure that the victim complies with those instructions.

The use by scammers of crypto kiosks has caught the attention of state legislators throughout the U.S. Several states have passed legislation that regulates the kiosks for the protection of the public. The Washington State Legislature considered Senate bill 5280, “Protecting consumers of virtual currency kiosks.” The bill passed in the Senate but was sent back to committee by the House. If passed in the future, the bill would

            • Cap daily transactions at $2,000 per consumer.

            • Limit fees to $5 or 15% per transaction (whichever is greater).

            • Require paper receipts for all transactions.

            • Post clear, visible scam warnings on every kiosk.

Legislation like this attempts to give at least some protection for consumers. The limit to $2,000 in transactions per day tries to limit the potential loss that a consumer might experience if they are being scammed. Transaction fees at crypto kiosks tend to be higher than for crypto exchanges. The limit to the fees tries to prevent gouging by the kiosk owners. Paper receipts provide proof of the transactions in case a consumer needs to report a scam to police. Finally, scam warnings attempt to educate the public of the opportunity of scams and encourage kiosk users to slow down and be thoughtful about an upcoming transaction.

 

 

 

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2024/09/bitcoin-atms-payment-portal-scammers

 

 

Consumer Affairs:

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/crypto-kiosks-are-being-used-to-run-multiple-scams-052226.html

 

FBI:

https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2026/PSA260515-2

 

AARP:

https://www.aarp.org/states/washington/aarp-backs-legislative-action-to-stop-crypto-kiosk-scams/?msockid=1ccaa3490741631714d9b3fb03416160

https://www.aarp.org/advocacy/crypto-atm-fraud-protections/

 

 

SNOHOMISH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE- The Psychology of Scams

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office has published the latest issue if its crime prevention newsletter “Partners in Crime Prevention.” This issue discusses the psychology of scams and how you can detect when you are being scammed. It also talks about where to report scams.

 

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/7482

 

 

SCAM ALERT- Inspect Those Party Invitations

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has just issued a warning about scammers using email and text party invitations in a phishing scam. Scammers take advantage of new ways to steal your money and your identity. They also take advantage of special events such as high school and college graduation as well as disasters and high-profile news events.

The FTC has been getting complaints about citizens receiving unexpected party invitations. The emails and texts do not use common procedures found with invitation services such as Evite or Paperless Post. Instead, the phishing messages ask for email login credentials or a special pass code to open them. Requiring credentials is not normal for invitation services. Also, the phishing message may use the name of someone that you know as the host.

The phishing message might try to steal (or reset) your account information. It may also take over your email account and send the scam to your contacts.

Take the following steps to protect yourself from phishing scams,

·         Keep security software updated. Set your computer to update its software automatically. Also, keep your phone software up to date.

·         Use multi-factor authentication. MFA will make it more difficult for a scammer to enter your accounts if they obtain your username and password.

·         Act quickly. If a scammer acquires your email account information, change your password to a new strong password right away. And the FTC recommends that you go to www.identitytheft.gov for guidance on other steps to take to protect your identity.

Also, forward phishing emails to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at www.reportphishing@apwg.org. Report phishing texts to SPAM (7726). Also report the phishing attempt to the FTC at www.ReportFraud.ftc.gov.   

 

 

 

 

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/05/asked-enter-your-email-address-and-password-open-party-invite-thats-scam

 

 

National Cybersecurity Alliance:

https://www.staysafeonline.org/articles/phishing

 

TRAVEL CRIME PREVENTION- Take Steps to Protect Yourself and Your Property

 

With the summer months fast approaching, doing some travel often becomes a priority. Here are some tips to help you keep your property secure while you are away.

 

Physical Security

At Home: Things you can do to make sure that a burglar does not steal anything from your home while you are away include,

·         Don’t announce that you will be away on social media before you go or while you are away. You don’t want a burglar to know no one will be at home.

·         Have your mail and newspaper held so that they do not pile up in your mailbox or on your front door, a clear sign to burglars that no one is around.

·         Let a trusted neighbor or two know that you will be away and ask them to keep an eye on your house.

·         Lock up your valuables in a safe or locking file cabinet and put away small electronics like laptops, tablet computers, and portable game players.

·         Leave some lights on or put some lights on timers so that it looks like you are at home at night.

·         As you go out the door, LOCK YOUR HOUSE!!!

 

On the road: Make a habit of doing the following actions while you are on your trip,

·         If you are driving

o   Always lock your car doors and close the windows.

o   Park in well-lit areas and close to buildings.

o   Never pick up hitchhikers.

o   Fill the gas tank before dark.

·         At your hotel

o   Lock your room, even if you are in the room.

o   Store valuables in the room safe or in the hotel safe.

o   Don’t tell strangers the name of your hotel.

o   Guard your room keys when you are in restaurants, the pool, or clubs.

 

Cybersecurity

While you are away you will take your cellphone and you may take a laptop or tablet computer and possibly other electronic devices. Here are some tips to keep your electronic devices safe and their contents safe.

·         Bring only what you need, the fewer the better.

·         Be sure your devices have the latest software and security updates before you leave.

·         Backup any data on your device before you leave.

·         Continue using strong Multifactor Authentication (MFA) on your online accounts.

·         Turn on “Find My Device” features to help you find your device should you misplace it.

·         Check privacy and location settings. Turn off location tracking for apps that you do not need on your trip.

·         Only turn on location services when absolutely necessary.

·         Be careful using public wi-fi. Do not access sensitive accounts such as your checking or credit card account. If you need to access those accounts use a VPN.

·         Keep your devices secure and with you.

·         Turn off auto-connect to avoid connecting to shady networks.

 

For more about security while you travel check out,

 

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/7128

 

National Cybersecurity Alliance:

https://www.staysafeonline.org/articles/vacation-and-travel-security-tips?utm_content=376913179&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&hss_channel=tw-71354375

 

SNOHOMISH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE- Pursuing Suspects Effectively and Safely

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office deputies sometimes have to pursue suspects on foot and in their vehicles. The latest issue of the Sheriff’s Office’s crime prevention newsletter, “Partners in Crime Prevention,” covers some of the basics that deputies consider when initiating a pursuit and some of the latest techniques and tools that they use to end an in-progress pursuit. You can see the issue at this link,

 

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/7448