Correlates of Victim Services for Fraud and Identity Theft Among Victim Service Providers

• In Event: Showcasing the Undergraduates of the University of Cincinnati Cybercrime and Behavior Online Research Group

Abstract

Victim service providers assist thousands of victims of crime in the United States each year. However, the extent to which these organizations serve victims of identity theft and financial fraud is unknown. Moreover, absent from the literature is an empirical assessment of what factors predict the inclusion of services for victims of these crimes. Using a sample from the 2019 National Survey of Victim Service Providers (n = 1,649) the current study investigated factors related to the provision of services for victims of these crimes. Findings suggested that variation in organizational services (e.g., providing restitution claim assistance and document replacement services) and characteristics (e.g., number of external partnerships and number of volunteers) was associated the odds of providing services to financial fraud and identity theft victims. The findings suggest the importance of logistical constraints on providing these services and are discussed in light of previous research on the topic as well as policy implications and limitations.

Authors

• Cooper Maher, Michigan State University

• Rachel M. Corsello, University of South Dakota

• Timothy Austin Engle, University of Cincinnati

• James Kuhlman, University of Cincinnati

• Joseph L. Nedelec, University of Cincinnati