[20050316]RS22082_身份盗窃：Internet连接.pdf

Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS22082March 16, 2005Identity Theft: The Internet Connectionname redactedSpecialist in Aerospace and Telecommunications PolicyResources, Science, and Industry DivisionSummaryConcern is growing about identity theft where one person assumes the identityof another by stealing personally identifiable information (PII), such as credit card orSocial Security numbers. High profile incidents disclosed in early 2005 involvingChoicePoint, Bank of America, and LexisNexis, where the PII of more than a millionAmericans may have been compromised, have refocused congressional attention on thisissue. Many associate the rise in identity theft cases with the Internet, but surveysindicate that comparatively few victims cite the Internet as the source of their stolen PII.Still, the Internet may play a role, particularly through a practice known as “phishing.”Congress already has passed several laws to address identity theft, and continues todebate whether additional action is needed. This report will not be updated; forinformation on pending bills and current legislative action, see CRS