The New York Times, Bits Blog, April 7, 2010 by Brad Stone
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/how-lenders-overlook-the-warning-signs-of-id-theft/
Mr. Hoofnagle argues that the perverse incentives of lenders—to sign up as many new customers as possible—are the heart of the problem and must be central to the solution. “Certain institutions have a very high risk tolerances and those risk tolerances are rational,” he said. “Identity theft remains so prevalent because it is less costly to tolerate fraud.”