Identity Theft 911 has published a white paper about Identity Theft in California [PDF]. The white paper examines identity theft within the state and what steps are being taken by the government officials and businesses to combat the issue.

In 2007, California was ranked as the second-worst state in terms of identity theft complaints per capita, according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data. From 2002-2006, it held the third position on this list, so it’s clear that identity theft is a growing and persistent issue in California.

“Each year, more and more consumers fall victim to various forms of this insidious crime. This report puts a spotlight on California, highlighting several issues that are likely responsible for driving up these numbers in the state,” said Judd Rousseau, Chief Fraud Officer of Identity Theft 911.

According to the FTC, 1.5 million Californians were victims of identity theft in 2007 (out of a population of 36.5 million). The most common forms of identity theft were credit card fraud and employment-related fraud. The incidents of 2007 cost an estimated $749 million in out-of-pocket expenses for victims (and 6 million hours in resolution time). That’s an astronomical figure.

California has been responding to the issues of identity theft at the government level. New legislation has been passed, including breach notification laws, prohibitions for the public display of Social Security Numbers, and restrictions on the sharing / selling of personally identifiable information. The white paper outlines various other types of legislation that might mitigate the identity theft issue in California.

Via press release