Nearly 62% of identity theft victims were notified of suspicious activity by a financial services company, according to the Identity Theft Assistance Center (ITAC).



ITAC surveyed 771 victims who used the ITAC free service over a one-month period about how they learned of the crime. Of the 771 victims, 296 (38.4%) said they were notified by their financial services company. Another 180 (23.3%) said they were notified by another financial services company.

"By knowing the warning signs of identity theft, consumers can act more quickly. Our research reinforces the Federal Trade Commission's advice to consumers to minimize the damage by requesting a free copy of your credit report," said ITAC Executive Director Anne Wallace.

"Nearly 10% of the consumers we talked to said they learned they were victims because they received bills that weren't theirs," said Mary Blegen, ITAC Chairman and Senior Vice President of 24-Hour Banking and Financial Sales at U.S. Bank. "That means you might want to look at a bill you don't recognize before you throw it away."