Impact of the Case Model of Identity Theft Training on Influencing Prevention Behaviors in Senior Citizens

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States, costing $52.6 billion in 2004 alone. Victims of identity theft suffer long-term and welldocumented pain and suffering. This is particularly true for senior citizens who comprise the demographic group most frequently victimized by this crime. A review of literature revealed that training has led to positive changes in the attitudes and behaviors of trainees. Although there has been limited research on the impact of training with respect to identity theft prevention strategies, previous work by McKenna and Miller examined the effectiveness of the Citizens Against Senior Exploitation (CASE) Training Model on the attitudes and behaviors of trainees with respect to identity theft prevention. This study provided validity for McKenna and Miller's work and focused specifically on senior citizens, with the goal of helping to address the needs of the group most vulnerable to identity theft predators. Both a treatment group and a comparison group of senior citizens were utilized to examine the changes in their attitudes and behaviors with respect to identity theft prevention. The findings indicated that the CASE Training Program influenced the adoption of identity theft prevention techniques by senior citizens.