The number of identity theft cases charged by North Dakota prosecutors has risen every year since 2003, and one official says the problem might be even bigger than it appears.

"I'm confident in saying that only a small amount of identity thefts are reported," said Parrell Grossman, director of the attorney general's consumer protection division.

Nationwide, identity theft costs businesses and consumers billions of dollars each year. The trend appears to be growing in North Dakota.

State residents filed 49 identity theft complaints with the attorney general's office in 2005, the first year officials began officially tracking the crime. Most cases aren't reported to the state, but to local law enforcement, Grossman said. And the majority of victims have their information stolen by thieves who obtain the data electronically, he said.

Prosecutors can file felony charges when they suspect someone has stolen another person's identity. The statute for "unauthorized use of personal identifying information" has been used more frequently in recent years.

Statewide, prosecutors filed 28 charges in 2003. The number jumped to 47 in 2004 and 51 in 2005, state court records show.

During the 2005 Legislature, North Dakota lawmakers strengthened identity theft laws to protect consumers.

The state's attorney general now has jurisdiction over complaints of identity theft, regardless of where in North Dakota a complaint originated.

A complaint triggers credit-bureau alerts and other initiatives to limit a person's financial harm. Someone who believes their identity has been stolen may ask a judge for expedited determination of innocence, if the theft causes the person to be falsely arrested or blamed for fraud.

"As this crime continues to increase, we'll see more protection and enhanced penalties," Grossman said. "The consequences (for victims) are so serious and so long-lasting."

A May 2005 FBI report on financial crimes said identity theft is considered one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States. People who steal the identity of others often do so to facilitate other fraud crimes involving credit cards, checks and mortgages.