Identity crime and misuse in Australia
Identity crime continues to be one of the most common crimes in Australia.
According to the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), the annual economic impact of
identity crime exceeds $2 billion.
A survey by the AIC found that identity crime 1 in 4 Australians have been a victim of identity crime at some point in their lives.
Further information can be found in the AIC’s latest
Identity Crime and Misuse in Australia 2017 report.
Identity crime also provides a foundation for many other forms of serious crime. Fraudulent identities may be used for money laundering, tax evasion, dealing in stolen motor vehicles, or to protect the true identities of organised crime members.
In addition to facilitating the commission of other offences, organised crime groups may also sell stolen identity information to other criminal networks. When a person has their identity stolen, they may experience repeated victimisation. In this way, organised crime groups can use fraudulent identities to cause considerable financial loss.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission rates identity crime as a key enabler of serious and organised crime, which costs Australia around $36 billion annually.
Related links
The following links provide related information.
Reports
