Developing a Conceptual Framework for Identity Fraud Profiling

This paper addresses three main areas and develops a conceptual framework for identity fraud profiling. First, we identify the main contemporary profiling methods that are crime and/or business based. Second, accepting the current information systems (IS) facilitated attack channels and methods used by identity crime perpetrators (Jamieson & Stephens & Winchester 2007), we investigate how to best profile identity crime/fraud perpetrators. Here we are guided by relevant components of current business and crime profiling techniques. Second, analysis of interview data from industry and government agency participants was carried out using a modified grounded theoretical approach and concept mapping. Third, we consider, what identity fraud profiling systems target victim organisations might use and implement. We provide a definition for identity fraud profiling grounded from expert interviews, and based on profiling and identity crime literature. The major contributions of this paper are formation of an identity fraud profiling definition, construction of a profiling classification taxonomy, and development of an identity fraud profiling conceptual framework. This also involves providing an understanding of the framework’s main elements, their relationships and application to identity fraud profiling. This framework will be useful to law enforcement, industry organisations, and government agencies when fighting to deter, detect, and prevent identity crime.