The Threat of Identity Theft in Direct Marketing - publié le 31/05/2010

Résumé du document

Identity theft is rampant, especially now that the present technology is capable of producing us the ways by which we could infringe upon the privacy of another. The victims of identity theft are the customers whose personal information is obtained. The Direct Marketing community is also in the danger of demise because of the negative perception that most people have regarding Direct Marketing. Perpetrators of identity theft tarnish the reputations of legitimate Direct Marketers by performing unscrupulous acts of infringing upon one's privacy. Identity theft is referred to as the crime of wrongfully obtaining and using another person's personal data in such a way that involves deception or fraud, usually for economic gain. The victim of identity theft is susceptible to having out-of-pocket financial losses as well as financial costs in trying to restore his reputation that has been besmirched. In today's world, the internet has made the crime of identity theft a problem of many internet users. Criminals use the internet in obtaining data such as bank information and passwords. In some cases, responding to spam emails that are sent by direct marketers make one susceptible to being a victim of identity theft. The perpetrators of identity theft may use one's identity in applying for loans and credit cards, making fraudulent withdrawals from bank accounts, or obtaining privileges that the criminal might not have if he were to use his true identity.

Extraits

[...] The sending of spam messages is an inappropriate scheme in Direct Marketing. It might be cheap for the marketer, but might be costly to the recipients of the mail in terms of time. Spam messages are likewise clutter in the mailbox. Because of the unscrupulous sending of spam emails, certain governments are considering policies precluding spam emails (Clarke). Individuals who want to have information from a marketer or otherwise initiate the communication generally expose the IP address of the workstation which they used in sending the request for information, or give their email address. [...]

[...] Roger Clarke provided guiding points in responsible Direct Marketing. According to him, Direct Marketing strategies must respect the interests of the consumers. He further noted that the application of privacy-invasive Direct Marketing strategies should require substantial justification. Clarke provided certain principles in Direct Marketing that makes use of electronic channels. First, there must be information regarding the marketer's use of technology that is readily available to those who seek the same for examination. Second, the consumer must be able to judge on whether he should receive communications from the marketer. [...]

[...] Hence, ways must be devised in order to put a stop to the crime of identity theft. Works Cited Clarke, Roger. Roger Clarke's web site April Direct Marketing Association. Privacy: Current Legislation and DMA Action April European Commission Directorate General Joint Research Centre. Identity Theft: A Discussion Paper. Discussion Paper. Italy: European Communities Justice, United States Department of. United States Department of Justice web site April Wacks, Raymond. Privacy: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. [...]

[...] With the corruptive acts of some individuals on the internet, the victims are not only the customers but also the legitimate Direct Marketers whose professional images are being tarnished because of those who pretend to market products but are just secretly impinging upon the customers' privacy. Identity theft is increasing as the technology advances. In the United States, the United States Federal Trade Commission discovered that in 2005, about 8.3 million Americans had been victims of identity theft; and that in 2006, the total loss of those who claimed that they are victims of identity theft amounted to $ 15.6 billion (Wacks). The emergence of the aforesaid schemes of fraudulently obtaining sensate information about a person gives the people negative impression about Direct Marketing. [...]

[...] In many cases, prospective customers are annoyed of having received mails or correspondences from marketers who are selling the former products or services. There are various channels that may be used in Direct Marketing. There are what we call conventional channels that include the use of snail mail, fax, and telephone. There are also what we call electronic channels, which are products of the advancement of technology. Electronic channels include electronic mail or email, web based communications, push technologies, and public and private kiosks. [...]