A new study by Affinion Security Center has revealed that women are hit much harder than men when both are victims of identity theft, and are 26 percent more likely than men to experience identity theft in the first place.

The study by the Connecticut company found that women suffer more from identity theft than men, and when victimized, lose more money and take more time to restore their identities. They also change their behavior more dramatically following the theft.

The study found that almost twice as many female victims of identity theft surveyed by Affinion experienced unreimbursed losses of $1,000 or more due to identity theft, when compared to male victims of the crime. Women were also less likely than men to report no unreimbursed losses. It also took women longer than men to restore their identities.

Women are also more concerned about identity theft than men. Both women who have been victims of ID theft, as well those who have not, described themselves as being "most concerned" about having their identity stolen when compared to other types of theft such as a home burglary or having their car stolen. Approximately 80 percent of all of the women surveyed said that they were "most concerned" with identity theft, whereas only 71 percent of male victims and 59 percent of non-victim males expressed the same level of concern.

The survey of 808 households, half of whom had been victims of identity theft and half of whom had not, was conducted on behalf of Affinion Security Center by Prince Market Research.