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Online retailers and technology companies, including Microsoft, EBay, and Amazon.com, are teaming up to fight online identity fraud.

The Coalition on Online Identity Fraud has been launched by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) technology industry trade group, which will act as the coalition's secretariat.

Public education campaigns are needed to educate consumers, while technical and self-help solutions are necessary to prevent and deal with the crime, the ITAA says. The companies in the coalition will share and document information on cybercrimes, to stay ahead of the latest types of criminal activity, the association says.

Industry Priority

The Business Software Alliance, a founding member of the coalition, considers this a priority for the whole industry, according to Shannon Kellogg, director of security policy.

"We have two messages. It's important to highlight the issue, and also to make suggestions that help consumers to empower themselves with the technologies that are out there," Kellogg says.

The majority of identity theft still comes from offline sources, including personal information thrown away by consumers, the ITAA says. That information can then be used in scams to get further personal information, such as passwords and Social Security numbers, and to buy products or apply for loans. The coalition is keen to stop the spread of the problem into e-commerce, according to the association.

"We expect a report to be released by the Federal Trade Commission this week, showing a strong increase in identity theft, both physical and online. The data I've seen shows that the physical problem is enormous, but you bet we're concerned about online too," Kellogg says.

Many Allies

The coalition will push the U.S. government for effective enforcement and penalties against criminals. Its members expect to work with the FTC, the Department of Justice, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the ITAA says.

While the coalition focuses on the United States, the companies involved are international and recognize that identity theft is a global problem, Kellogg says.

The founding members of the coalition are Microsoft, EBay, Amazon.com, and the ITAA, plus the Business Software Alliance, Cyveillance, McAfee Security, RSA Security, TechNet, Verisign, Visa U.S.A., WholeSecurity, and Zone Labs.

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