Wisconsin Identity Theft Coalition

Mission Statement

The Wisconsin Identity Theft Coalition is a statewide collaboration made up of victim assistance organizations, government agencies, financial institutions, and law enforcement agencies who are committed to improving services for victims of identity theft. Wisconsin Identity Theft Coalition Members

Although all types of identity theft are serious, this coalition focuses on intrafamilial identity theft because the combination of family member perpetrators and underreporting creates a huge gap in victim services in Wisconsin. Children, the elderly and domestic violence survivors are particularly vulnerable.

The goals of the Wisconsin Identity Theft Coalition are:

• To provide education and training for members to improve services for victims of identity theft
• To create a permanent network of professionals who can offer guidance and support for victims of identity theft
• To encourage cooperation across disciplines to simplify the recovery process and reduce obstacles in obtaining information that is necessary in stopping and preventing further identity fraud
• To share tools and resources that will help members educate their communities across the state of Wisconsin and empower consumers against identity theft

The coalition includes social service organizations, state and local government agencies, financial institutions, and law enforcement and is dedicated to developing strategies to address awareness of identity theft and improving the community’s response to victims of identity theft.

This unique collaboration aims to utilize the unique experiences and abilities of members to create a network of support for victims of identity theft. Banks and credit unions are the first line of defense in spotting identity theft and they can generate goodwill and prevent further losses by early detection. Social workers can spend the time to encourage reluctant victims to make police reports. First responders such as law enforcement can learn simple and helpful ways to respond to victims. CWAG works with coalition members to create, enhance, and deliver victim assistance training to provide better coordinated responses to identity theft victims.