EITHOS Policy Recommendations - Operational Policy Recommendations

This proposal highlights gaps in EU legislation regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in identity-related crimes, such as deepfakes and botnets for fraud. It calls for clear definitions of Online Identity Theft (OIDT) across EU member states and the incorporation of AI-related identity theft offenses to harmonize legal responses. The proposal advocates for enhanced collaboration between law enforcement agencies (LEAs), financial institutions, and information service providers to develop tools for detecting and preventing identity crimes, focusing on data security and real-time information exchange. LEAs should launch EU-wide public awareness campaigns on OIDT prevention, establish specialized units, and equip officers with AI tools for deepfake and botnet detection. It also calls for better victim support mechanisms to address both the practical and psychosocial impacts of identity theft. Finally, more comprehensive EU surveys and official statistics are needed to provide detailed insights into identity-related crimes, guiding more targeted policy and prevention efforts.