Overconfidence, overliteracy. Online IDentity Theft stigma on the expert users

Progress and digital transformation of the society have provided criminals with new opportunities to obtain and misuse personal identity information. The emergence and spread of online identity theft (OIDT) is an example of this. Very little is known about the profile, needs and experiences of people whose identity information has been compromised or misused. OIDT European victims often do not report the crime. But the negative experience hides important resistance in psycho-social perception. With the aim of analysing the impact of OIDT in different European countries, but also to profile victims, this article will show how: (1) OIDT affects also expert users; (2) the OIDT-related stigma creates a “constructed” fragility in these victims; (3) the higher the degree of confidence and digital literacy, the bigger the perception of stigma and the fear experiencing a secondary victimisation.