Poll: Northwest Residents Rely on Vigilance to Protect Identities

Most Northwest residents are concerned about the threat of identity theft, but a majority rely on their own vigilance to protect themselves from fraudulent activity against their personal information, a poll from Seattle, Wash.-based PEMCO Insurance shows.

The poll shows less than one-fifth of drivers in the Northwest – 18 percent in Oregon and 16 percent in Washington – say they subscribe to an identity-theft protection service.

The insurer said a majority in both states engage in other identity-protecting behaviors, such as installing security software, using a shredder to destroy sensitive documents, and removing personal identification from wallets and purses.

A nationwide study cited by Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna states that while the number of identity theft victims has decreased in recent years, identity fraud is costing consumers more out-of-pocket expenses. The mean out-of-pocket cost due to identity fraud increased 63 percent from $387 in 2009 to $631 per incident in 2010, according to the study.