Social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram, increase the risks of becoming a target of identity theft. Privacy in the digital age is lost, for personal information is widely spread on many channels and services. Criminals have various means to get their hands information they need to steal someone’s identity through social media accounts and e-mail phishing. Once the information is collected, it is usually sold on illegal marketplaces on the dark web.

OVER 5,000 SWEDES ARE ID HIJACKED EVERY DAY

mySafety Insurances' Sifo poll shows that, broken down, approximately 520 people are ID hijacked every day in Sweden. This corresponds to 21 people per hour or 1 person every 3 minutes. 

- It is a very worrying development in society now that almost one million Swedes have been affected or know someone who has been exposed to an identity theft. In order to reverse this negative trend requires vigorous efforts to reduce crime, while individual consumers should protect themselves better, says Carl-Johan Thorsell, CEO mySafety Försäkringar AB.

Few people think about the possibility of identity theft when they have lost their wallet, mobile or passport as a result of a pickpocket. Identity theft is defined as the unauthorized use of another person’s identifying information. According to a study made by mySafety Finland in March 2015, as many as 100 000 Finns have been victims of identity thefts. Short term loans are taken, mobile connections are opened and online orders are made with their personal information.