Increased identity theft through checks is due to the lack of focus on checking account criminal activity and what to do for victims of this crime, as more focus is placed on credit card identity theft.

The next year should also see more communication between various law enforcement entities in multi-jurisdictional cases including the creation of regional taskforces. While phishing will continue to grow as a problem, new solutions and protections will hit the market.

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In 2006, 25 states created laws in regard to identity theft and information security, and Congress introduced 34 bills, according to ITRC.

"The world of identity theft continues to evolve," said Linda Foley, Founder of ITRC. "However, we are optimistic about the trends we are seeing in corporate America in dealing with this crime."

Crime trends in 2006 included medical identity theft and in increase in phishing. In efforts to prevent theft, the year also marked several new taskforces formed by industry leaders to develop information handling strategies that better address information leakage, said the Center.

Related: Identity Theft Task Force Seeks Public Comment