Account hacking, fraudulent credit applications, misappropriation of social benefits… The risks associated with identity theft are rapidly expanding, fueled by the proliferation of massive data breaches. How then can one prove who they are without compromising their personal information? This article explores the key role of digital identity, using the example of France Identité as a trusted instrument for securely accessing online services.
Online Identity Theft, a Very Real Risk
What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft is defined as the use of one or more pieces of data to identify a third party, usually with the aim of carrying out fraudulent commercial, civil, or criminal actions. According to articles 226-4-1 and following of the Penal Code, identity theft is a criminal offense.
Identity fraud is considered “multifaceted,” as it affects individuals, as well as businesses, local authorities, administrations, banking institutions, government agents, etc.
How Does Online Identity Theft Work?
Fraudsters use a variety of increasingly sophisticated techniques. Among the most common, phishing involves posing as a trusted third party to trick the internet user and encourage them to provide sensitive information, such as login credentials or civil status details.
In addition to this, there are more technical methods, such as document falsification or manipulation of images, voices, and videos, made more accessible thanks to artificial intelligence tools. These processes are particularly used to bypass identity verification mechanisms.
Another major vector of fraud relies on massive data theft. This information, often resold on the dark web, comes largely from subcontractors of services to which users have entrusted their personal data, without real control over its dissemination or the uses made of it.
| Good practices to protect yourself from identity theft – Do not respond to emails asking you to transmit identity information. – Never communicate personal information and copies of identity documents to organizations before identifying them with certainty. – Use strong and different passwords for each online service. – Minimize shared data – Close unused accounts and request the deletion of your personal data – Use a secure digital identity (see our next section) |
What are the Risks Associated with Identity Fraud?
Impostors can exploit a stolen identity in multiple ways, with potentially serious consequences for the victims: subscribing to financial services (opening a bank account and taking out loans, for example), opening phone lines, benefiting from social benefits in place of the real holder, committing reprehensible acts and making the person whose identity has been stolen liable for fines, damaging their reputation, etc.
On average, a French person has been affected by a data breach about 10 times, one of the highest rates in the world1. And nearly 210,000 people have actually been victims of identity theft, with multiple consequences, both from an emotional point of view (time lost recovering one’s identity, significant stress, loss of trust in digital services, etc.) and financial (cost of damages).
Digital Identity, a Solution to Combat Identity Theft
What is Digital Identity?
Digital identity corresponds to the set of digital means used to identify or authenticate a person online and offline.
The so-called “sovereign” digital identity is directly linked to the individual’s civil status (name, first name, date of birth, etc.), used in the context of administrative or formal procedures.
An Instrument of Trust
In the digital age, proving one’s identity online can quickly become complex. Physical documents such as ID cards or passports are not designed for this use, and transmitting their copies by email or form carries real risks: loss of control, fraudulent reuse, identity theft.
In light of these challenges, digital identity provides a concrete solution. It allows everyone to prove their identity online securely, without unnecessarily exposing their documents. It is thus considered an instrument of trust, or more precisely, a technological solution aimed at securing authentication and guaranteeing a person’s identity in digital environments.
France Identité: how Does it Protect against Identity Theft?
In accordance with the European eIDAS regulation, the French government provides ‘France Identité’, a sovereign digital identity issued by the Ministry of the Interior. Developed in partnership with iDAKTO, France Identité offers the highest level of assurance in terms of identity verification and incorporates enhanced mechanisms to combat fraud.
1. Strong Two-Factor Authentication
Authentication to online services via France Identité does not rely on a password: citizens do not have to use a username/password combination, which reduces the risks of account theft or phishing.
To allow users to connect to services or prove their identity, the France Identité application uses double authentication combining the following mechanisms:
- “What you have”: smartphone and eID (electronic ID card)
- “What you are” (facial biometrics or fingerprint) or “what you know” (secret code).
These mechanisms greatly complicate identity theft, even if the user’s smartphone is stolen.
2. Unique Link between the France Identité Application and the Person
The identity data used by France Identité is not stored on a central server, but on users’ smartphones. This situation reduces the risk of personal information leaks. Since the data is not stored in a database, it is less likely to be stolen.
Another important point is that the France Identité application is linked to a specific device (smartphone). It cannot be used on another smartphone without going through re-enrollment. If users lose their smartphone or it is stolen, they can remotely deactivate the application.
3. Citizen Control over Data Sharing
No data sharing with third parties can be carried out without the user’s consent, who views and approves the information shared with third-party services via the France Identité application. This mechanism reduces the risks of abusive exploitation of personal data, and therefore of identity theft.
Identity Theft: Key Takeaways
At a time when our processes are increasingly digital, identity theft has never been so widespread or costly. Phishing, document theft, deepfakes: methods are becoming more sophisticated, but so are protections. Digital identity, and particularly France Identité, now constitutes an effective bulwark against online fraud.
Thanks to strong authentication, local data storage, and total user control, these new solutions offer a concrete response to citizens’ growing concerns. And tomorrow, with the EUDI Wallet, this security will extend across Europe.
👉 Would you like to know more about implementing a sovereign or corporate digital identity? Are you looking to protect your users, employees, or customers against identity theft? Let’s talk about it.
- Surfshark 2024 Report ↩︎
