The number of Norwegians who say they have been victims of identity theft in the last two years is around 150. This year's survey, however, shows an increase in such cases among older people. Measures are currently being developed to protect vulnerable people from fraudsters.
This information comes from the 13th annual survey conducted by Respons Analyze on behalf of Skatteetaten and the Norwegian Center for Information Security (NorSIS). The study also shows that people over 60 are more concerned about the possibility of becoming a victim of identity theft than younger people.
“What is worrying is that the elderly appear to be more vulnerable than before. The fact that the same age group is also more concerned than younger ones demonstrates the need to provide them with more knowledge about common forms of identity theft and how to best protect themselves in different situations,” says Eivind Reiner-Holm, Senior Advisor at NorSIS.
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Identity protection professionals are not surprised by this trend
Such people previously had their identity stolen most often by purchasing goods or services online in their name. Now, regardless of age, more and more people experience situations where someone... he transferred money from their account without their consent.
Identity protection specialists are not surprised by this trend, as most of the fraud cases they investigate are related to such situations. They also see patterns in how it happens.
– Often of this kind fraud is the result clicking on login links that turn out to be fake. In this way, information such as personal numbers, one-time BankID codes or passwords that can be abused are stolen, says Silje Noer Johansen, project manager in the legal department for identity protection.
“We also see cases where victims receive a call from someone claiming to be a bank or other trusted entity, where this is a scam,” adds Noer Johansen.
This type of scam exploits victims' trust in known entities, whether online or over the phone. It is also a form of social manipulation. These cases show the need to recognize different methods of social manipulation. They also show that you should never provide your login information or log in with your BankID from links you receive unsolicited via SMS, email or social media.
Unique identity
NorSIS and Skatteetaten believe that additional measures are needed to secure people's identities and protect against identity theft.
One of the actions is the introduction of unique identities in the National Register. This means that anyone who is registered with a personal or social security number can have that number marked as unique. This will help ensure that a person only has one identification number in the Norwegian Population Register. This will make it more difficult for a person to have multiple identities and may reduce the risk of a person's identity being used or stolen by others.
– The common goal of identity management in Norway is to ensure that one person has one secure primary identity in the Population Register. We will achieve this with unique identities,” says Marianne Henriksen, Director of Identity Management at Skatteetaten.
Your unique identity must be confirmed by a strong ID, i.e. a passport or ID card that links you to an ID number. Reusing biometrics, such as a face photo on a police-issued ID card, confirms your identity and ensures that no one else can apply for a passport or other identity document.
Secure digital integration
Even though more and more communication between citizens and governments takes place digitally, there are still many people on the margins of the digital world. This is especially true for the elderly and foreigners. To protect these groups, we need to ensure that they all have credible IDs to prove who they are.
– Today, foreigners do not get ID cards. The tax authorities have long made it clear that anyone with a personal number or D number must be able to obtain an identity card in Norway. They are more vulnerable to identity abuse, says Henriksen.
With national identity cards and unique identities, we will be able to provide people with a higher degree of security related to their electronic identity.
– Then we can be sure that we are talking to the right person in a digital context. This can contribute to secure digital inclusion of all those in need,” concludes Henriksen.
Norwegian Information Security Center (NorSIS)
It is an independent organization that works to increase knowledge and understanding of information security. The organization is partly funded by the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness and is part of the government's investment in information security.
The goal of NorSIS is to create a secure digital everyday life by integrating information security into the everyday life of the target groups. We achieve this by raising awareness of threats and vulnerabilities, informing about specific actions and influencing good attitudes.
The defined main target group of the center is the population and Norwegian companies. The activity is aimed in particular at small and medium-sized private enterprises, as well as at individual citizens.
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Source: Norwegian Center for Information Security
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