Synthetic ID Theft: What every advocate should know

Identity theft and fraud are not new, but synthetic ID theft—or “Frankenstein fraud”—where thieves piece together information from different people to create a new identity, is the fastest-growing type of fraud. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that up to 85% of identity theft today is synthetic, and this type of fraud is one of the hardest to detect. The typical victims are your clients—low-income individuals, the elderly, people experiencing homelessness, individuals seeking to re-enter, and children.

Join Consumer Action on Tuesday, July 11, for a train-the-trainer webinar on understanding the impact of synthetic ID theft. This free 90-minute training will focus on why synthetic ID theft is becoming more common and why every consumer should be concerned. The webinar will also explore strategies to avoid becoming a victim of synthetic ID theft and what steps to take if you’re already a victim.

Michael Bruemmer, Experian’s vice president of data breach resolution and consumer protection; Charles A Harwood, director of the FTC’s Northwest Region; and Eva Velasquez, president/CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, will headline the webinar.