STOLEN LIVES: STORIES OF VICTIMS OF IDENTITY THEFT

نویسندگان

  • Dianne Chlaire V. Duron Faculty of the College of Criminal Justice Education, University of Mindanao, Davao City, Philippines
  • Rowela Cartin-Pecson Professor, College of Criminal Justice Education, University of Mindanao, Davao City, Philippines

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejsss.v12i1.2161

کلمات کلیدی:

criminal justice, digital distrust, cybercrime, Davao City

چکیده

This study examined the lived experiences of identity theft victims in Davao City as they navigated the consequences of the crime and coped to regain control over their digital and personal lives. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, the researcher conducted in-depth interviews with seven victims to capture the essence of their experiences. Thematic analysis revealed several major impacts of identity theft, including compromised accounts, heightened digital distrust, emotional and psychological distress, occupational disruptions, financial loss, and reputational damage. Recovery was influenced by multiple factors, such as support from family and friends, access to technical and professional assistance, spiritual grounding, and the successful retrieval of compromised digital accounts. Participants emphasized the importance of strengthening account security, exercising caution online, and maintaining consistent vigilance. The study underscores the need for more awareness campaigns, proactive security measures, and accessible government support systems to mitigate the harms of identity theft and to guide victims toward effective recovery and resilience.

بیوگرافی نویسندگان

  • Dianne Chlaire V. Duron، Faculty of the College of Criminal Justice Education, University of Mindanao, Davao City, Philippines

    Dianne Chlaire V. Duron, RCrim, is an accomplished educator and researcher within the College of Criminal Justice Education at the University of Mindanao, where she serves as an Instructor and Assistant Laboratory Custodian. Since entering the academe in 2022, she has consistently expanded her expertise in criminology and forensic science through high-level training, workshops, and professional seminars. Currently a candidate for the Master of Science in Criminal Justice at the University of Mindanao Professional Schools, the researcher is dedicated to advancing the field through rigorous inquiry. Her scholarly work is strategically focused on law enforcement optimization, security protocols, and the evolution of the criminal justice system.

  • Rowela Cartin-Pecson، Professor, College of Criminal Justice Education, University of Mindanao, Davao City, Philippines

    Rowela Catin-Pecson (PhD) is a professor and quality assurance expert at the College of Criminal Justice Education, University of Mindanao, and holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice with a specialization in Criminology from the Professional Schools, University of Mindanao, Philippines. Currently, through her active membership in the Philippine Society of Criminologist and Criminal Justice (PSCCJP), she has been actively participating in seminar training, as the facilitator, in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) "Seminars and Training for Environmental Crime" in many parts of the country and as, resource speaker and facilitator, United States Department of Justice Office of Prosecutorial Development and Trainings (OPDAT) "Cybercrime Training of Trainers."

مراجع

Ahmed, S. R. (2020). Preventing identity crime: identity theft and identity fraud: an identity crime model and legislative analysis with recommendations for preventing identity crime. Brill. Retrieved from https://brill.com/display/title/54591?language=en

Balistoy, H., Toledo, V., & Dullacin, D. (2024). The Prevalence of Identity Theft in Davao City: Basis for an Intervention Scheme. University of Mindanao.

Betz-Hamilton Axton. (2022). A Comparison of the Financial, Emotional, and Physical Consequences of Identity Theft Victimization Among Familial and Non-Familial Victims. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 33(2), 217–227. https://doi.org/10.1891/JFCP-2021-0014

Cassim, F. (2015). Protecting personal information in the era of identity theft: just how safe is our personal information from identity thieves?. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal/Potchefstroomse Elektroniese Regsblad, 18(2), 68–110. https://doi.org/10.4314/pelj.v18i2.02

Chauhan, D. (2023). Digital trust is core to our relationship with technology. Network Security, 2023(10) Retrieved from https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/abs/10.12968/S1353-4858%2823%2970047-0

Cohen, L. & Felson, M. (1979). Social Change and Crime Rate Trends: A Routine Activity Approach. Retrieved from https://faculty.washington.edu/matsueda/courses/587/readings/Cohen%20and%20Felson%201979%20Routine%20Activities.pdf

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage Publications. Retrieved from uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/qualitative-inquiry-and-research-design/book266033

Cross, C., & Holt, T. J. (2025). Beyond fraud and identity theft: assessing the impact of data breaches on individual victims. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0735648X.2025.2535007?utm_source=chatgpt.com#abstract

De Kimpe, L. (2020). The Human Face of CyberCrime. Identifying targets, victims, and their coping mechanisms. Retrieved from https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8670387

DeLiema, M., Burnes, D., & Langton, L. (2021). The financial and psychological impact of identity theft among older adults. Innovation in Aging, 5(4). https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igab043

Dentzel, Z. (2017). How the Internet has changed everyday life. OpenMind. Retrieved from https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/article/internet-changedeverydaylife/?fullscreen=true

Jordan, G., Leskovar, R., & Marič, M. (2018). Impact of fear of identity theft and perceived risk on online purchase intention. Organizacija, 51(2), 146-155. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.2478/orga-2018-0007

Ghalechyan, H., Israyelyan, E., Arakelyan, A., Hovhannisyan, G., & Davtyan, A. (2024). Phishing URL detection with neural networks: an empirical study. Scientific Reports, 14. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-74725-6?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Gies, S. & Piquero, N. (2020). Recover Me if You Can: Assessing Service to Victims of Identity Theft. Retrieved from https://nij.ojp.gov/library/publications/recover-me-if-you-can-assessing-services-victims-identity-theft

Harrell, E. & Thompson, A. (2023). Victims of Identity Theft, 2021. Retrieved from https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/victims-identity-theft-2021

Hedayati, A. (2012). An analysis of identity theft: Motives, related frauds, techniques, and prevention. Journal of Law and Conflict Resolution, 4(1), 1–12. Retrieved from https://academicjournals.org/article/article1379859409_Hedayati.pdf

Hummer, D. & Rebovich, D. J. (2023). Chapter 2: Identity theft and financial loss. (p. 38–53). Retrieved from https://www.elgaronline.com/edcollchap/book/9781800886643/book-part-9781800886643-10.xml

Huseynov, E. (2025). Identity Theft. In Computer and Information Security Handbook (pp. 993–1006). Morgan Kaufmann. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/edited-volume/abs/pii/B9780443132230000606

Identity Theft Resource Center (2024). The Impacts of Identity Theft on Employees and Their Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.idtheftcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Identity-Theft-in-the-Workplace-Aura-ITRC-Report-081420-WEB-ADA.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Ismailov, M., Tsikerdekis, M., & Zeadally, S. (2020). Vulnerabilities to Online Social Network Identity Deception Detection Research and Recommendations for Mitigation. Future Internet, 12(9), 148. https://doi.org/10.3390/fi12090148

Kayomb, J. M., Francke, E. R., & Ncubukezi, T. (2025). A phishing attack awareness framework for a South African University of Technology. South African Journal of Information Management, 27(1), a1949. (https://sajim.co.za/index.php/sajim/article/view/1949)

Kayser, C. S., Back, S., & Toro-Alvarez, M. M. (2024). Identity Theft: The Importance of Prosecuting on Behalf of Victims. Laws, 13(6), 68. https://www.mdpi.com/2075-471X/13/6/68

Li, Y., Yazdanmehr, A., Wang, J., & Rao, H. R. (2019). Responding to identity theft: A victimization perspective. Decision Support Systems, 121, 13–24. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167923619300612

LoPucki, L. (2001). Human Identification Theory and the Identity Theft Problem. Retrieved from https://scholarship.law.ufl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2137&context=facul typub

Madinaxon, A. B. (2025). Identification and Prevention of Identity Theft. International scientific journal Management, Marketing and Finance, 1(5), 36–57. Retrieved from https://jmmf.uz/view?id=111

Maher, C. A., Corsello, R. M., Engle, T. A., Kuhlman, J. D., & Nedelec, Joseph L. (2024). Correlates of victim services for fraud and identity theft among victim service providers, Journal of Criminal Justice, vol. 95(C). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0047235224001673

Maher, C. A., & Hayes, B. E. (2024). Nonfinancial Consequences of Identity Theft Revisited: Examining the Association of Out-of-Pocket Losses with Physical or Emotional Distress and Behavioral Health. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 51(3), 459–481. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548231223166

Maillet, J. M. (2023, August 4). Identity Theft: Understanding the Silent Crime That Can Ruin Lives. Jarrett Maillet J.D., PC. Retrieved from https://www.mailletcriminallaw.com/identity-theft-understanding-the-silentcrime-that-can-ruin-lives/

McNeeley, S. (2015). Lifestyle-routine activities and crime events. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 31(1), 30–52. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1043986214552607

Meligy, A. M., Ibrahim, H. M., & Torky, M. F. (2017). Identity verification mechanism for detecting fake profiles in online social networks. Int. J. Comput. Netw. Inf. Secur (IJCNIS), 9(1), 31-39. Retrieved from. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mohamed-Torky6/publication/312137248_Identity_Verification_Mechanism_for_Detecting_Fake_Profiles_in_Online_Social_Networks/links/5bd8f04da6fdcc3a8db2c5be/Identity-Verification-Mechanism-for-Detecting-Fake-Profiles-in-Online-Social-Networks.pdf

Neira, R. E. (2016). Identity theft: Inside the mind of a cybercriminal (Master's thesis, Utica College). Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/openview/912fc0d5c5c4fd6424c93f40e1b5c70c/1pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750

Pietrzak, P., & Takala, J. (2021). Digital trust–a systematic literature review. Retrieved from https://osuva.uwasa.fi/items/51f0d6e0-8c7e-4703-a1f3-5e1a363c3519

PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group Manila (2024). Cybercrime Cases Fall by 40.79% in the Final Week of March 2024. Retrieved from https://acg.pnp.gov.ph/cybercrime-cases-fall-by40-79-in-the-final-week-of-march-2024/

Qutoshi, S. (2018). Phenomenology: A Philosophy and Method of Inquiry. Journal of Education and Educational Development 5(1) Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1180603.pdf

Roser, M. (2023). Technology over the long run: zoom out to see how dramatically the world can change within a lifetime. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/technologylong-run

Saan, M., van Wesel, F., Leferink, S., Hox, J., Boeije, H., & van der Velden, P. (2022). Social network responses to victims of potentially traumatic events: A systematic review using qualitative evidence synthesis. PloS one, 17(11). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0276476

Salam, A. F., Dai, H., & Wang, L. (2022). Online Users’ Identity Theft and Coping Strategies, Attribution and Sense of Urgency: A Non-Linear Quadratic Effect Assessment. Information Systems Frontiers, 24(6), 1929-1948. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-021-10194-w

Satchell, J., Dalrymple, N., Leavey, G., & Serfaty, M. (2024). "If we don't forgive, it's like holding on to them": A qualitative study of religious and spiritual coping on psychological recovery in older crime victims. Psychological trauma: theory, research, practice and policy, 16(4), 643–652. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001420

Sharp, T., Shreve-Neiger, A., Fremouw, W., Kane, J., & Hutton, S. (2003). Exploring the psychological and somatic impact of identity theft. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 49(1). https://store.astm.org/jfs2003178.html

Swanson, A. (2008). Identity Theft, Line One. Collector, 73(12), 18-22,24-26. Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/identity-theft-line-one/docview/223219430/se-2

Tadros, V. (2011). The ends of harm: The moral foundations of criminal law. OUP Oxford. Retrieved from https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-ends-of-harm-9780199554423?cc=bg&lang=en&

Tenny, S., Brannan, J. M., & Brannan, G. D. (2017). Qualitative study. Retrieved from https://europepmc.org/article/NBK/nbk470395

Van der Meulen, N. (2006). The challenge of countering identity theft: Recent developments in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. Report Commissioned by the National Infrastructure Cyber Crime program (NICC). Retrieved May 20, 2007. Retrieved from https://research.tilburguniversity.edu/en/publications/the-challenge-of-countering-identity-theft-recent-developments-in/

Vveinhardt, J. & Deikus, M. (2023). The use of religious resources in helping victims of workplace mobbing. Frontiers in Psychology. Vol. 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1288354

Wiefling, S., Lo Iacono, L., & Durmuth, M. (2019). Is this really you? An empirical study on risk-based authentication applied in the wild. In Financial Cryptography and Data Security (pp. 134 to 153). Springer. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-22312-0_10

دانلودها

چاپ شده

2026-03-06

شماره

دوره 12 شماره 1 (2026)

نوع مقاله

Articles