DOI: 10.3886/icpsr38501
title: National Crime Victimization Survey: Identity Theft Supplement, [United States], 2021
title: Archival Version

description: The primary purpose of the Identity Theft Supplement (ITS) is to measure the prevalence of identity theft among persons, the characteristics of identity theft victims, and patterns of reporting to the police, credit bureaus, and other authorities. The ITS was also designed to collect important characteristics of identity theft such as how the victim's personal information was obtained; the physical, emotional and financial impact on victims; offender information; and the measures people take to avoid or minimize their risk of becoming an identity theft victim. The information is intended for use by policymakers, academic researchers, practitioners at the Federal, state and local levels, and special interest groups who are concerned with identity theft to make informed decisions concerning policies and programs. Responses are linked to the NCVS survey instrument responses for a more complete understanding of the individual's circumstances.
The 2021 Identity Theft Supplement (ITS) was the sixth implementation of this supplement to the annual NCVS to obtain specific information about identity theft-related victimization on a national level. Since the ITS is a supplement to the NCVS, it is conducted under the authority of title 34, United States Code, section 10132. Only Census employees sworn to preserve confidentiality may see the completed questionnaires.
description: The ITS was administered at the end of the NCVS interview for each eligible respondent. The 2021 ITS was conducted from July through December 2021. Each month the U.S. Census Bureau selects respondents for the NCVS using a "rotating panel" design. Households are randomly selected and all age-eligible individuals become part of the panel. The sample of households is divided into groups or rotations. Once in the sample, respondents are interviewed every six months for a total of seven interviews over a three-year period. The first interview is considered the incoming rotation. The second through the seventh interview are in the continuing rotations. The first interview is face-to-face; the rest are by telephone unless the circumstances call for an in-person interview. After the seventh interview the household leaves the panel and a new household is rotated into the sample. The rotation scheme is used to reduce respondent burden that may result if they were to remain permanently in the sample. The ITS was administered at all NCVS households interviewed from July through December 2021.
description: The identity theft supplement variables include the experience of the victims after their bank account/credit card were stolen. The data file also include variables extracted from regular NCVS: 1) all households containing ITS-eligible persons (interviewed and noninterviewed, incoming (unbounded) and continuing rotations) and 2) all ITS-eligible persons (interviewed and noninterviewed) within these households, and 3) all incidents reported by the ITS-eligible persons.
description: The data contain weights for creating national estimates.
description: Response Rates: Of the 133,800 NCVS respondents eligible for the ITS supplement, 93,300 (69.8%) completed the ITS interview. The remaining 30.2% were noninterviews.
description: The ITS was administered at the end of the NCVS interview for each eligible respondent. The 2021 ITS was conducted from July through December 2021.
Each month the U.S. Census Bureau selects respondents for the NCVS using a "rotating panel" design. Households are randomly selected and all age-eligible individuals become part of the panel. The sample of households is divided into groups or rotations. Once in the sample, respondents are interviewed every six months for a total of seven interviews over a three-year period. The first interview is considered the incoming rotation. The second through the seventh interview are in the continuing rotations. The first interview is face- to-face; the rest are by telephone unless the circumstances call for an in-person interview. After the seventh interview, the household leaves the panel and a new household is rotated into the sample. The rotation scheme is used to reduce respondent burden that may result if they were to remain permanently in the sample.
description: Datasets: 
DS1: National Crime Victimization Survey: Identity Theft Supplement, [United States], 2021
description: The NCVS target population is individuals 12 years of age and older living in households and group quarters within the United States and the District of Columbia. The sample excludes persons who are homeless, crews of vessels, in institutions (e.g., prisons and nursing homes) or members of the armed forces living in military barracks. Interviews are translated for non-English speaking respondents. NCVS ITS interviews were conducted with each household member age 16 years old or older. No proxy interviews were allowed for the ITS. NCVS household members ages 16 years or older. Smallest Geographic Unit: Region
description: computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI); computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI)