In the wake of the Target data breach last December — which put an estimated 70 million customers at risk for identity theft after thieves stole massive amounts of credit and debit card information as well as username and passwords — fraud protection has become a major concern for consumers, and for good reason.
For victims of identity theft, cleaning up the mess is no fun. Some 10 percent of victims must spend more than a month working to clear up associated problems, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). And those whose issues linger are more likely to experience problems at work and in their relationships. Nearly half of identify theft victims who spent more than six months resolving financial and credit card problems reported experiencing severe emotional distress.