You’ve
seen the credit card party ads, haven’t you? The clever Capitol One
commercials depicting credit card and identity theft victims – men, women,
black, white, the young, the elderly – accompanied by a hideous sounding
voiceover of a identity thief that mocks victims while bragging about the
benefits of their trade – embezzled or stolen property and services. Or,
maybe you have seen the MasterCard party ads – with chimpanzees going
bananas, reveling with the proceeds of goods they acquired from a lost or
stolen debit or credit card. Then, there’s the commercial depicting a
guy out fishing when he loses his wallet overboard, prompting his buddy
who minimized “Don’t worry. Who’s gonna use it out here?” followed by
Mermaids living and laughing it up down below. Funny. Hilarious. In a
brief period, these ads capture our interest with a simple, but
influential message that encourages viewers to take some action. Except
for one thing; they also send an unintended, but nevertheless wrong
message that stealing is fun, and worse, acceptable. The 2003 Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that financial transaction frauds amount
to $3 billion annually. How funny, hilarious and acceptable is that?
Their
aim may be to recruit and reassure customers, but these advertisements are
troublesome. One ad intones “With Capitol One, there’s nothing to worry
about.” Really? The implication is that consumers need not worry because
cardholders are effectively protected against fraud when in reality it’s
just the opposite. Valdosta State University Professor Mark Whatley has
conducted extensive studies of television advertising, observes that these
commercials in particular try to persuade viewers through fear
appeals. “We will notify you immediately of any suspicious activity on
your account” some ads assert. In reality (and in fine print),
cardholder notification varies with each card issuer. Dr. Whatley says
fear appeals are particularly persuasive if viewers believe the dangers
mentioned are serious, probable, and that he or she believes they are
competent to implement the recommendations and avoid the dangers. “They
do a good job, Whatley notes, of not invoking too much fear that would
make the commercial’s persuasive attempt counterproductive.” A good
example is a current split screen ad by Yourcreditcardcompanies.com
depicting a grandfatherly cardholder cheerfully (?) reporting that his
credit card company contacted him regarding a suspicious purchase of two
surfboards, while a surfer “hangin’ ten” on the waves is simultaneously
seen. The victim tells us the viewers that he was issued a new card by
the next day. That contrasts with my experience working with real crime
victims who are hardly ever amused: but in fantasy land everything’s
lovely. The victim’s laughing. He’s smiling. The fraudulent charged is
wiped out - but disappointedly the surfer does not. “I wasn’t held
responsible” the actor says. Neither is the surfing thief. This ad
would almost have us believe that an alarm will sound at MasterCard P.D.
and that cardholders will be notified immediately of any unusual activity.
Countless victims of credit card theft
have discovered just the opposite. For many cardholders “immediate”
translates a little differently. Recently, I purchased a book on-line
using my American Express card, but when the monthly bill arrived the
charge reflected instead a charge for restaurant services for an amount
more than $7 dollars higher. Nobody from American Express immediately
called me regarding this suspicious transaction; I called them. Immediate
more likely means an unexpected announcement from a cashier, waitress or
talking gas pump that access to your account has been denied. If you’re
one of the fortunate who have yet to experience this phenomena, then try
making multiple purchases in a short period of time – such as buying food
and gas when traveling along the interstate or making multiple purchases
during holiday shopping and you might get surprised to find access to your
card credit has been put on hold. Objectively, I can appreciate this
minimally inconvenient security gesture. I’ve got other cards, but for
others it may be a problem. . In terms of fraud protection it is a step
in the right direction, but in reality, only about 20% of financial
transaction theft victims learn first about suspicious activity on their
accounts from card companies.
These
ads also give the wrong impression that victim’s losses are minimal. The
Truth in Lending Act does limit “Your liability …to $50” as some ads
expose. That’s misleading. Even under current federal sentencing
guidelines, the value of the data on a credit card – our personal
information - is $500. Losses are especially greater when a victim’s
identity is stolen. Overlooked are the hidden costs of time and money
expended meeting with attorneys, or writing, copying and sending notarized
letters to banks, businesses and government agencies explaining losses,
defending credit, and trying to restore financial and personal reputations
destroyed by a contemptible person. A study conducted by The Identity
Theft Resource Center and Dr. Dale Pletcher of California State University
revealed victim’s losses in potential or realized income at $16,000 when
wages are considered. .
These
commercials applaud or celebrate theft, rather than holding criminals
accountable for it without the slightest suggestion of consequences.
Surfers riding fraudulently acquired surfboards don’t wipe out.
Mermaid and chimpanzee parties aren’t crashed by Fish and Game Officers or
the National Zoo Police. The fictional Vaughn’s in American Express’
Travelfund Card commercials happily spill their ill gotten champagne. The
repeated message is that Identify theft and credit card fraud is a joke, a
big party, and maybe even a lifestyle. The ads consistently portray
offenders prospering with no indication of fear of arrest and prosecution
- let alone jail.
And statistics bear this out. In
comparison to the number of complaints filed in the U.S. alone, few of
these thieves, often repeat offenders are successfully prosecuted when
compared to the hundreds of millions of bogus transactions they commit –
each and every one a separate offense that often evidence other crimes
such as narcotics violations, larceny, burglary, robbery and murder.
There’s simply little or no risk and for victims that cuts deeply. In the
print media as well as television, movies, and the Internet, the wrong
message is reaching billions worldwide. In composing commercials,
advertising agencies seemingly forget the harm criminals inflict on
victims - in the form of physical, financial and emotional injuries.
Indirectly they, along with the rest of society inflict upon victims
secondary injuries in the form of indignities, isolation, and lack of
interest.
Identity and financial theft victims
experience the indignity of being denied credit, or finding it
necessary to carry and display multiple forms of identification and
“letters of introduction” from law enforcement agencies verifying they are
the victims of theft and fraud who have formally reported crimes.
Victims sometimes feel isolated because non-victims – be they
friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers - can’t comprehend nor relate to
the impact of the crime and sense of violation on the victim’s self
concept and absolute loss of control. A demonstrated lack of interest
from the criminal justice system only adds to the frustration these
victims experience.
Adding to victim frustration is a
demonstrated lack of interest from an overwhelmed criminal justice
system and FTC that received 500,000 complaints in 2003 – a number on the
rise.
In 2003, the FTC received 500,000
complaints related to identity theft, a number on the rise. The sheer
number of complaints makes these types of thefts expensive to investigate.
Many complaints require hundreds of hours to investigate, demanding
cooperation between private and public agencies that are already heavily
burdened. Adding to investigative complacency is the reality that these
crimes simply do not capture the sense of urgency found in other cases
when a victim is physically threatened, injured or killed.
Yet, aide from a physical assault, what
could be greater invasion of our concept of self that a theft of our
identity? Our personal information is the blue chip of blue chips.
Personally it’s more valuable than any other commodity and when used
without our permission it affects our ability to defend our reputation,
credit, and control finances, compromising our ability to interact with
other segments of society. Complainants are victimized again when
financial institutions impose additional lending costs because victims are
unfairly labeled a “credit risk.” Confidence during individual
transactions whether at the local convenience store or at a vacation
resort is eroded. Business operators don’t trust victims and victims
don’t trust them. Meanwhile, some unscrupulous person undeservedly uses
our privileges.
The
FTC has declared Identity theft as the fastest growing crime today, so why
isn’t the business community – that lose between $40,000 - $92,000 per
name in fraudulent charges – taking a more aggressive stance? Who knows?
Perhaps some businesses realize that absorbing losses are less costly than
pursuing legal action against the thief. Ultimately, the action or
inaction of businesses results in higher prices and fees for the consumer.
Meanwhile individual victims may lose job opportunities as a result of
being blacklisted, may be refused loans for further education, purchasing
a house and/or car or even face the threat of being arrested for crimes
they did not commit. Victims feel humiliated, angry and frustrated
sloshing through the tedious process of reclaiming their identity. The
ads just don’t add up.
Marketing
firms can help by employing ads that stop glorifying miscreants. They can
send a different message: They’re thieves! These companies can also draw
from the success of John Walsh’s, America’s Most Wanted (AMW) a
show that effectively sells millions of viewers each week on the idea of
helping to catch some of America’s worst fugitives. So let’s help out law
enforcement by placing repeat offenders on the big screen! Furthermore,
instead of depicting miscreant credit card and identity thieves having fun
at our expense why not show them at their worst? With a little digital
adjustment, the thieving surfer could wipe out. A thief using a stolen
card could get his arm caught in a monster of an ATM. Television is
peppered now with reality shows, so why not give these thieves a taste of
reality by showing them and their peers being arrested?
Marketing
firms and their clients can also promote integrity and personal
responsibility as found in the Price-WaterHouse-Coopers ad where too much
change is given to a customer,”I only gave you a ten.” In other words,
return what isn’t yours. In another P-WC ad depicting a minor parking
garage lot accident, viewers are reminded that must look at ourselves in
the mirror and take responsibility for our actions no matter how minor the
injury may be.
Ads
on the Internet, TV, Radio and printed media must convey to viewers
whether they be a student going through someone else’s locker, purse or
book-bag or to the career criminal a new message: that credit card fraud
and identity thief is wrong – not celebrated, and offenders are losers who
will be aggressively pursued, arrested and prosecuted. The Ad Council ran
an anti –drug commercial years ago where we saw an egg in a frying pan.
The message was simple, but effective. “This is your brain. This is
your brain on drugs. Any Questions? So effective was this commercial
that some credited it with a drop in overall drug abuse nationwide. How
about a similar ad for credit card and identity thieves? “See the thief
stealing a credit card. See the identity thief buying a car. See the
police arrest the thieves. See the thieves in jail. Any questions?
AD
Nauseum: These Credit Card Commercials Are Sickening