Checking-account theft is the fastest-growing financial consumer fraud in the country, according to a survey from Gartner Inc. Based on a poll of 5,000 online U.S. adults, the study shows that some 1.98 million consumers have been victimized by checking-account fraud, resulting in $2.4 billion in losses.

Gartner said about 57 million U.S. Internet users have received phishing e-mails, and about 1.7 million of them may have been tricked into divulging personal information.

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Copyright © 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in eWEEK.