The Evolving Landscape of Identity Theft Victimization: Examining Predictors and Consequences of Email and Social Media Account Misuse

According to the 2021 National Crime Victimization Survey – Identity Theft Supplement, almost four million Americans experienced e-mail or social media account misuse, marking the first national assessment of these emerging identity theft subtypes. Using this data, we examined the predictors and consequences of e-mail and social media misuse, comparing these new forms against each other as well as with traditionally measured forms of identity theft. Analyses of the full sample (N = 88,772) identified both shared and distinct risk factors for these victimization subtypes. Moreover, an examination of victims (n = 8,090) revealed that e-mail and social media misuse were less likely to produce financial harm than traditional identity theft types, but e-mail and social media misuse were associated with greater social costs. We discuss the implications for prevention and future research on these subtypes.