This study focuses on the threat-response and coping behaviors of individuals to fear appeals in the context of online identity theft, within the theoretical framework of Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM). It also tests the adequacy of the model to predict an individual’s intention to engage in behaviors that reduce the risk of identity theft. The results indicate that users fully aware of threats of identity theft cope better than the users who are not adequately aware of a possible threat of identity theft. This study makes an important contribution to the theory about differences in application of fear appeals in the context of IS, in that even though users may perceive a threat, it probably fails to trigger fear arousal and therefore maladaptive intentions are not significantly related to fear arousal.

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