Stop Identity Theft Crime

Friday, October 24, 2008

We're a Countrywide Victim!

I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since I last posted. I've been busy working with the California Crime Victims Coalition and traveling on the road.

A lot has happened since my last post. My wife received a letter from Countrywide stating that her private information had been sold by an employee and offered to pay for 2 years of Experian's Triple Advantage credit monitoring service. According to their website, (click here to see for yourself) Experian only charges $14.95/month to monitor your credit. The product that I use and recommend is Identity Theft Shield by Kroll. They not only monitor your credit, they do the restoration for you if you should become a victim of Id Theft.

And they only charge $15.95/month for both you and your significant other as a standalone service. If you obtain the Id Theft Shield with a Prepaid Legal plan it is only $12.95/month. This is the best way to go because you will need a lawyer if your Id is compromised.

Anyway, I called Countrywide and told them that I currently had better protection with Kroll and had to go up through their chain of command to get them to pay for my current Id Theft service.

At least I was told that someone would call me in a day or two. Been 7 days now and no call yet. That is a good example of Countrywide's NO customer service plan. I'm glad I don't use them anymore.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Monday, October 13, 2008

New Utah State Law Helps Identity Theft Victims

Bringing Relief for Identity Theft Victims

Written by Identity Theft Daily Staff
Monday, 13 October 2008

A.G. & LEGISLATORS ANNOUNCE NEW CREDIT FREEZE LAW

Utahns now have the fastest credit freeze law in the country. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Senator Carlene Walker announced today that a new state law is now in effect that allows identity theft victims to freeze their credit and protect their credit ratings.

"Utah's new credit freeze law stops identity thieves cold and quick," says Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. "Consumers can freeze and thaw their credit in 15 minutes."
...The 15 minute thaw period was the key to passing the Credit Freeze Protection law. The original 2005 bill stalled because merchants and auto dealers were troubled by the original three-day thaw period. But Senator Carlene Walker and Representative David Clark continued to work with businesses and credit bureaus to come up with a solution and the software to speed up the thaw cycle. The bill finally passed in 2006 but it gave credit bureaus until September 1, 2008 to get their computers reprogrammed....(Full text at Identity Theft daily)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Fed Stiffens ID Theft Penalties, Schwarzenegger Kills California Breach Bill

Fed Stiffens ID Theft Penalties, Schwarzenegger Kills California Breach Bill
George Hulme, Oct 3, 2008

Identity thieves, if a new federal ID theft law is enforced, will now face stiffer federal penalties for their crimes. Federal prosecutors will also have increased leeway to pursue more ID theft cases. Also, for the second time in 12 months, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a new California Data Breach Bill. Was that a good idea?

As anyone who has been following data security is aware, in July 2003 the California Data Breach Disclosure Law (known in those days as SB 1386) went into effect. This law had a profound impact in raising public and policymaker awareness on just how many data breaches were occurring across the country. Before SB 1386, while many security professionals knew there were far more breaches occurring than being reported, it was difficult to find much evidence to prove it. Today, every time a hacker, or anyone without authorization for that matter, could have obtained unencrypted account information from a lost notebook, hacked server, or backup tape: customers are told.

One of the most important aspects of SB 1386 was that it didn’t force technological standards, or best practices, on companies. If certain types of data were accessed by someone who was not authorized to see it and that data was not encrypted, a mandatory breech notification to those affected is triggered.
..Now, the prosecution of data thieves, brings us to the bill President Bush signed last week into law, the The Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act of 2008. No more will federal prosecutors need to show $5,000 in damages to bring charges. ...(Full text at www.informationweek.com)

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Cybercrime against Businesses Totals $867 million in 2005 (that's only of the respondents to this DOJ survey report)

Cybercrime against Businesses, 2005
By Ramona R. Rantala
BJS Statistician

Among 7,818 businesses that responded to the National Computer Security Survey, 67% detected at least onecybercrime in 2005 (table 1). Nearly 60% detected one or more types of cyber attack, 11% detected cyber theft, and 24% of the businesses detected other computer security incidents. Respondents, representing 36 economic industries, said they detected more than 22 million incidents ofcybercrime in 2005. The vast majority of cybercrimes (20 million incidents) were other computer security incidents,primarily spyware, adware, phishing, and spoofing. There were nearly 1.5 million computer virus infections and 126,000 cyber fraud incidents.

The effects of these crimes were measured in terms of monetary loss and system downtime. Ninety-one percent of the businesses providing information sustained one or both types of loss. The monetary loss for these businesses totaled $867 million in 2005. Cyber theft accounted for more than half of the loss ($450 million). Cyber attacks cost businesses $314 million. System downtime caused by cyber attacks and other computer security incidents totaled 323,900 hours. Computer viruses accounted for 193,000 hours and other computer security incidents resulted in more than 100,000 hours of system downtime.

...Computer virus infections were the most prevalent cybercrime among businesses in 2005
...86% of victimized businesses detected multiple incidents
...91% of businesses detecting cybercrime incurred losses
...Cybercrime resulted in monetary loss of $867 million among businesses responding to the survey

If this figure is from almost 8,000 respondents in the survey, can you imagine what the total is for all businesses which is over 7 million? I think I see a bailout plan option for the Feds.

...Insiders were involved in cyber theft for 74% of businesses in 2005
...Most businesses did not report cyber attacks to law enforcement authorities

The majority of businesses reported embezzlement (72%), fraud (63%), and theft of personal or financial data (60%). Few businesses reported theft of intellectual property (27%), any type of cyber attack (6%), or other computer security incidents (12%) to law enforcement officials.

Few businesses (3%) indicated that their decision not to report an incident to law enforcement was based on the possibility of negative publicity or decreased confidence in the business.

...Three-fifths of the businesses detecting cyber attacks reported that the Internet was involved
...Insufficient anti-virus software was the most prevalent vulnerability
...Businesses that outsourced all or part of their computer security had a greater prevalence of incidents (Read the whole report by clicking here)

Still think your information is safe? Who's in your wallet?

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Thursday, September 25, 2008

FTC Warns about Charity & ID Theft Scams Due to Hurricane Ike

Due to Hurricane Ike, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is urging consumers to be careful when making donations to help the victims of the disaster, and for victims of the disaster to beware of home repair and identity theft scams. Scam artists might take advantage of this situation by creating bogus fundraising and home repair operations or engaging in identity fraud.

For a list of precautions consumers should take when donating to charities, visit http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt114.shtm. For more information on avoiding scams, visit the FTC's Hurricane Recovery Web site at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/recovery/hurricane/media.html.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Security Breach Update

The total number of breaches in on the Identity Theft Resource Center’s 2008 breach list surpassed the final total of 446 reported in 2007, more than 4 months before the end of 2008. As of 9:30 a.m. August 22nd, the number of confirmed data breaches in 2008 stood at 449. The actual number of breaches is most likely higher, due to under-reporting and the fact that some of the breaches reported, which affect multiple businesses, are listed as single events. In the last few months, two subcontractors became examples of these “multiple” events. In one case, the customers and/or employees of at least 20 entities were affected by a breach that the ITRC reported as a single breach event.

ITRC recognizes that 449 breaches in less than a year is a small number when compared to the total number of business, governmental, health, banking and educational entities that have databases. However, for the individuals whose information has been exposed, 449 data exposure events are still too many. It should be noted that the growth in the number of breaches from year to year can no longer only be attributed to required reporting laws and media investigative work. (Full text at www.idtheftcenter.org)

In summary, the total number of breaches as of today is 503 with 30,381,211 records exposed. Is your information one of those records?

Click this article title to see the report of the breaches (pdf format).

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Monday, September 22, 2008

New US Identity Theft Bill set for Approval

US Identity Theft Bill set for Approval
Security legislation heads to president's desk
Written by Shaun Nichols in San Francisco
vnunet.com, 20 Sep 2008
A new identity theft bill is set to become US federal law, adding stiffer penalties and stricter definitions for identity and information theft crimes.

The Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution bill will allow victims to sue criminals for restitution from identity theft, and eliminate the $5,000 minimum damages amount previously required before unauthorised access charges could be filed.

The bill will also extend the reach of law enforcement by making it a felony to install spyware or malware on more than 10 computers...
...
The bill was written by Senator Patrick Leahy in 2007, but was not passed by the House of Representatives. Leahy then attached the proposal to another bill dictating the protection of former US vice presidents.

Having passed the House and Senate, the bill will now be sent to the president for final approval and signing into law....(Full text at vnunet.com)

California has already passed a law that makes it easier to prosecute identity thieves.

State law now allows identity thieves to be tried in the victims' jurisdictions, rather than only in the places the crimes occur. (Read whole post here.)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Monday, September 15, 2008

Guilty Plea in Largest ID Theft Case in US History

You read it right. On Friday, Damon Toey of Miami, who was one of 11 people indicted last month and charged with stealing more than 41 million credit card and debit card numbers from major retailers, pled GUILTY!

Toey helped the group hack into computer networks including the system of TJX COS. His confession included multiple counts of credit card fraud, identity theft and wire fraud.

Friday, September 12, 2008

2 Million More Victims of Id Theft?

Countrywide warns of possible identity theft
Contributor: Kerry Kavanaugh
Email: kkavanaugh@abcactionnews.com

Tarpon Springs, FL---Countrywide Financial is mailing out notices to customers telling them their personal information may have been stolen. "This morning I go and get my mail and freaked out” says Tammy Levent of Tarpon Springs. Her mortgage is financed through Countrywide.
Levent received a letter in the mail explaining her identity may have been compromised.
In the letter Countrywide says that a now former countrywide employee may have sold unauthorized personal information to a third party. "Could it be in this country, in another part of the world? You don't know where it's been sold” Levent says. She’s one of two million people getting the letter this week. (Full text at www.abcactionnews.com)

Monday, September 8, 2008

Identity Theft, Parolees and Drugs

Here in California in the fine city of Visalia, it appears some parolees have found a good use for identity theft, which of course is tied to DRUGS!

I wrote an article for a Los Angeles newpaper explaining why Id Theft is so popular amongst the illegal drug trade and drug abusers. You can read it by clicking here.

Stolen-mail, identity-theft investigation yields Visalia arrests
Staff reports • September 7, 2008

Visalia Police Department officers have made four arrests over the past week involving ongoing stolen mail and identity-theft investigations:
— Sept. 2: Julie Marquez, 38, was arrested on a parole violation after police conducted a parole-violation search at 725 S. Bridge St., Visalia. Police reported that materials were found pertaining to an identity theft case which “will involve over 100 victims,” police reported.
— Sept. 3: Joseph Ortega, 43, was arrested on suspicion of grand theft, mail theft, identity-third related crimes, possession of heroin an possession of methamphetamine. The arrest came after a search at 1425 S. Central St., Visalia.

— Sept. 3: Patrick Skillian, 32, was arrested for violation of parole, and on suspicion of possession of stolen property, identity theft, possession of counterfeit U.S. currency and possession of methamphetamine for sale. The arrest took place at 612 S. Encina St., where Kimberly Johnson, 24, was also arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, possession of a counterfeit California driver’s license, identity theft and three outstanding warrants.

— Sept. 4: Justine Marks, 21, was arrested from a past warrant issued by Visalia Police property-crimes detectives for a past charge of burglary and identity theft. Police discovered additional property which resulted in two more counts each of suspected burglary and identity theft — and three counts of suspected possession of stolen property. (Full text at www.VisaliaTimesDelta.com)

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Certegy Settles Consumer Data Theft Lawsuits

Certegy Settles Consumer Data Theft Lawsuits
By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA - A federal judge has approved a settlement in two class-action lawsuits filed against a St. Petersburg check authorizing company that had more than 8.4 million consumer records stolen and sold to direct marketers.

The settlement provides for a range of credit monitoring services and reimbursement of expenses for those whose identity was stolen. The company, Certegy Check Services, is also reimbursing more than $2 million in legal expenses to the law firms involved in the cases.

William G. Sullivan, a former analyst for Certegy, was sentenced in July to four years and nine months in federal prison for stealing the records.

A federal prosecutor said at the sentencing hearing that Certegy had to spend $3.2 million to notify the 5.9 million customers whose private financial information was stolen. The victims were in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and overseas. Some customers had data stolen that was not deemed to be private financial information.
...According to a Web site set up to notify consumers about the settlement, www.datasettlement,com, it provides that all class members who had their personal or financial information stolen can get compensated up to $20,000 for certain unreimbursed identity theft losses caused by the data theft. The losses covered could occur from Aug. 24, 1998, to Dec. 31, 2010.

Consumers notified by Certegy are also eligible for credit monitoring or bank monitoring performed by Certegy, identity theft insurance, and reimbursement for certain out-of-pocket expenses...(Full Text at Tampa Bay Online)

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

FTC Identity Theft Study: You Can Help

FTC Identity Theft Study: You Can Help

The Federal Trade Commission has announced a proposal for a consumer survey research project "to advance its understanding of the experiences of consumers who interact with consumer reporting agencies following an incident of identity theft."

Dallas, TX, August 29, 2008 --(PR.com)-- The FTC and SPENDonLIFE need your help to fight identity theft, the fastest-growing consumer threat facing Americans today.

The Federal Trade Commission announced this week a proposal for a consumer survey research project "to advance its understanding of the experiences of consumers who interact with consumer reporting agencies following an incident of identity theft." The FTC hopes to use this information to aid in its future enforcement and education efforts.

Prior to gathering data, the FTC is seeking public comments on the proposed research, which must be filed by September 2, 2008. Written comments should refer to "Consumer Experiences with CRAs Research: FTC File No. P065405," and include this reference both in the text and on the envelope. The mailing address is:

Federal Trade Commission, Room H-135 (Annex J)
600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20580.

If you are including any material for which you request confidential treatment, clearly label the document "Confidential."

If you prefer, electronic forms may be submitted at: https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-factasurvey. You may also file a form through the website www.regulations.gov.

All public comments will be available to the public on the FTC website, www.ftc.gov. The FTC asks that any additional requests for information regarding this effort be addressed to Pavneet Singh or Anthony Rodriguez, Attorneys, Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Mail Stop NJ-3158, Washington, DC 20580, or 202-326-2252.

Despite ongoing legislative efforts to combat identity theft crimes, they continue to plague America -- sapping financial resources, ravaging credit scores, and ruining the lives of innocent people. The information in this press release is brought to you by SPENDonLIFE and the FTC. The FTC is stepping up its efforts to fight ID theft, but they need your help to do it. For additional information about identity theft and your credit in general, visit http://www.spendonlife.com.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Identity theft: Is your child at risk? 5 things you need to know

As you get ready to send your children off to school, you’ve got a lot on your mind. But did you know that in addition to worrying about healthy school lunches, soccer schedules, and back to school supplies, you should be thinking about protecting your child’s identity?

Many parents don't realize just how vulnerable their children are to identity theft. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as many as 400,000 children may already be victims of identity theft. To make matters worse, the number of complaints has increased by 78 percent over the past several years, making children the fastest growing segment of identity theft victims.

Children and teenagers are prime targets for identity thieves for a number of reasons. They typically have clean credit reports, making it easy for scammers to take out loans in their name. (Full text at www.Education.com)

Sunday, August 31, 2008

New Ohio law helps you guard against identity theft

WHO NEEDS A SUPER HERO?
STARTING MONDAY,
YOU CAN FIGHT CRIME YOURSELF.
When a new Ohio law kicks in on Labor Day, you'll be able to freeze your credit reports for $5 a pop.

Security freezes let you "lock up" your credit report and scores, making it more difficult for an identity thief to open accounts in your name.....

Identity theft victims can freeze and thaw (lift a freeze) for free.

HOW TO GET A FREEZE

All three bureaus allow consumers to sign up online or by phone.

Experian:
By certified mail: Send your full name, with middle initial and generation (for example, Jr. or II); Social Security number; date of birth (month, day and year); current address and previous addresses for the past two years; and $5 fee (not cash) to Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013.

Online: www.experian.com/consumer/help/states/oh.html.

TransUnion:
By certified mail: Send your full name, current proof of address, date of birth and Social Security number and $5 fee (not cash) to TransUnion Security Freeze, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834.

Online: www.transunion.com. (There's no charge for now while TransUnion tests this new site, but the company warns a $5 fee could be added soon.)

By phone: 1-888-909-8872.

Equifax:
By certified mail: Send your full name, complete address, Social Security number, date of birth and $5 fee (not cash) to Equifax Security Freeze; P.O. Box 105788; Atlanta, GA 30348.

Online: www.equifax.com.

By phone: 1-800-685-1111. (You'll hear a long message that you can't interrupt, then hit 8 at the first number prompt.)
For more info on:
WHAT TO EXPECT
WHAT A FREEZE DOES
WHAT A FREEZE DOESN'T DO
THAWING

Click this link to www.Cleveland.com

FOR VICTIMS OF IDENTITY THEFT
Victims of identity theft can place, lift or permanently remove a freeze for free. Victims of security breaches aren't considered to be identity theft victims unless their information has been used. ID theft victims generally will need to provide a police report to qualify for free service. (Full text at Cleveland.com)

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Tips To Medicare Beneficiaries On Avoiding Identity Theft

The Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services’ GeorgiaCares SMP program is providing tips to Medicare beneficiaries on protecting themselves against identity theft and Medicare fraud...

Beneficiaries should practice the following tips:

* Never use your Social Security or Medicare numbers as a form of ID.

* If your Social Security number is listed on your driver’s license, have it removed.

* Be cautious about giving out personal information over the phone.

* Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before discarding.

* If your Social Security or Medicare number appears on documents you receive in the mail, request that the number be blanked-out on further mailings.

* Check your credit report at least once a year. The law requires the major nationwide consumer reporting companies - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion - to give you a free copy of your credit report each year at your request. (Full text at emaxhealth.com)

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Security Breach Update

As of 08/12/08, the grand total for Security Breaches in the U.S. is 431 with total records exposed (potential victims of id theft) being at 22,468,773. Are you one of them?

To view the complete list click here

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Medical Id Theft worth more than Financial Id Theft

Medical identity theft accounts for only 3 percent of identity theft crimes, or 249,000 of the estimated 8.3 million people who had their identities stolen in 2005, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

However, a stolen Social Security number has an estimated street value of $1 per identity; the price of stolen medical identity information averages a much higher street value, at an average of $50 per identity.

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) released a brief about Medical Id Theft and how to mitigate it.

The AHIMA has even created a very good consumer checklist and you can get a printable version by clicking here.

(To read the whole brief click here)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Friday, August 1, 2008

U.S. Senate OKs revamped identity theft legislation

Sorry for the lack of posts but I was out of town again and will be leaving again tomorrow. I hope to post while on the road this time.

Senate OKs revamped identity theft legislation
Dan Kaplin

An amended bill that would impose harsher restrictions on cyberattacks and allow identity theft victims to recoup costs in federal court passed the Senate on Wednesday.

The legislation, known as the Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act, is included in a U.S. House-approved bill that states that former vice presidents would receive U.S. Secret Service protection. The combined bill will now return to the House for consideration.

..This bill allows ID theft victims to recoup costs associated with the loss of time and money spent restoring their credit standing...

...The bill also would make it a felony to use spyware or keyloggers to damage 10 or more computers, regardless of the amount of destruction caused...

..Under the proposed law, the definition of cybercrime also would be expanded to include cyberextortion cases, where malware is removed or DDoS attacks halted in return for a ransom..
(Full text at www.scmagazineus.com)

Thursday, July 24, 2008

IRS Needs to Improve ID Theft Protection

IRS urged to improve protection against identity theft
Alexandria, VA -

Identity theft protection at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) should be improved, according to a report from the Office of the National Taxpayer Advocate.
The Office was created 10 years ago through the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 and is designed to protect the rights of taxpayers.
The report said tax-related identity theft is one of the most serious problems facing taxpayers. It noted that the IRS does not have adequate procedures in place to assist victims of identity theft and does not have adequate systems in place to quantify the number of tax-related incidents of identity theft that occur.

...The report made eight recommendations, including the creation of a centralized unit to handle identity theft cases and the development of a centralized set of procedures that cuts across IRS functions.
The IRS has already taken a number of steps to improve its procedures, including developing an IRS-wide identity theft indicator, and is studying the creation of a centralized unit to assist identity theft victims...(Full text at www.sulphurdailynews.com)

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Palm Reading and Identity Theft

When I was growing up, I remember going to the fair and circus and seeing the Palm Reader booth. That was the person who would predict your future from "reading" your palm. Once, I remember being told that I had a long lifeline after someone looked at my palm. Don't know if it's true but I hope so.

Now Palm Reading is becoming a preventative measure to medical identity theft and possibly other types of Id theft in the near future and it's all due to biometrics.

Palm-vein biometrics help accurately ID patients
Joel Hagberg, vp, marketing and business development, Fujitsu Technology Products

All too often, people are victims of identity theft. Less common, but perhaps more dangerous, is the growing trend of medical identity fraud. According to an FTC report, three percent of all identity theft victims in 2005 were victims of medical identity theft — which means of the 8.3 million ID theft victims that year, approximately 250,000 people were victimized by medical identity theft. Victims do not normally realize that they have been victimized — unless they get a hospital bill for a procedure they never received.

What is even more troubling, however, is that doctors might make incorrect diagnoses based on data from the identity thief's medical history. It may take years for a victim to clear his or her medical record of incorrect data, and HIPAA, which is designed to protect patient privacy, can work against victims if their files contain someone else's medical information.

...Clearly, patient identification relates directly to patient safety, which is a number-one priority for hospitals. In recent years, biometric technologies have emerged as solutions to not only protect medical records from being tampered with, but also to accurately identify patients...

..In recent years, palm-vein pattern recognition technology, also referred to as “vascular recognition,” has been refined to meet these concerns. The underlying technology of palm-vein biometrics works by extracting the characteristics of veins in the form of an image. The image is captured by a high performance sensor that maps the deoxygenated hemoglobin running through someone's veins...

...This technology is non-intrusive: There is no need to physically touch the sensor. All users must do is to hold their hand above the sensor for less than a second.

The method is also highly accurate. The International Biometrics Group (IBG), which evaluates all types of biometrics products through comparative testing, found that palm-vein technology was on par with iris scan biometrics in accuracy ratings...(Full Text at SCMagazine.com)

So all that stuff we watched in the old James Bond movies and Star Trek is finally coming to fruition.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Rapper DMX Charged with Medical Identity Theft

I guess Rappers aren't making enough money or aren't saving enough of it (possibly due to drug purchases) to pay for their medical care as the following article describes.

Rapper DMX Charged With Medical Identity Theft
Written by Ed Dickson

Earl Simmons a.k.a. DMX — a rap artist who seems to run afoul of the law frequently was arrested in a Phoenix mall on Saturday for identity theft.
Apparently, DMX used the name Troy Jones when seeking medical care for pneumonia, according to KNXV-TV in Phoenix. He also used a social security number that didn't belong to him. Allegedly, DMX did this to get out of paying a $7500 bill.
...
The type of identity theft DMX allegedly committed is known as medical identity theft. Medical identity theft is a growing phenomenon that causes great harm to it's victims, according to the World Privacy Forum, who performed the first in-depth study of the problem.

Despite the risk it carries, it's probably one of the least studied forms of identity theft. When someone becomes a victim of medical identity theft they not only face having to fix all their financial records, they also face having a lot of erroneous information placed in their medical records.

Medical identity theft victims might receive the wrong treatment, have their insurance used up, and could even be classified as a bad risk when seeking life and medical coverage. They could also fail a medical exam for employment when diseases show up in their medical records that they never had...
If you are interested in learning more about this, or have been a victim of Medical Identity Theft, I recommend reading the Medical Identity Theft Information Page on the World Privacy Forum.
The World Privacy Forum plans to issue a second study on this problem later on this year. (Full text at www.blogcritics.org)

Sunday, July 20, 2008

How to Opt-Out from Credit Card Offers

Are you tired of having your mailbox full of credit card offers and other junk mail?

Then you can opt-out of receiving these unwanted pieces of mailbox stuffers. If you receive these credit card offers and just put them in the round file, you are taking a chance that a dumpster diver or trash can raider will get access to them and possibly request a new credit card, in your name, with a change of address. Don't round file them but SHRED THEM!

Consumers can and should elect to “opt-out” of these pre-approved offers and marketing lists sold by the credit bureaus. To “Opt-Out” of these pre-screened and pre-approved offer lists, consumers can visit the “Opt-Out” website established by the credit bureaus, or call the toll free opt-out number.

Opt-Out Website: www.optoutprescreen.com

Consumers can opt-out for a period of five years, or permanently opt-out by mailing in the form that is produced during the online opt-out registration process.

Opt-Out Toll Free Number 1-888-5-OPTOUT

Within approximately two weeks, the consumer should receive a confirmation letter to complete and return, which confirms that he or she wishes to be permanently removed from these lists. If the consumer does not return this letter, their name will be returned to the lists.

It can generally take 60 to 90 days before the consumer will begin to see a noticeable reduction in the number of credit offers that he or she receives. However, not every prospective credit provider uses the lists offered by the credit bureaus. Consumer information is purchased and resold by thousands of companies,and consumers will still receive some offers.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Online Games Can Lead To Identity Theft

Online Games Can Lead To Identity Theft
By LARA NAAMAN, JEN PEREIRA and EMILY YACUS

When you update your profile on social networking sites such as Facebook, are you helping thieves to empty your bank account? Or ruin your credit? A Baltimore teen learned the hard way about some of the new ways private information can be used against you online.
Lisa Lockwood knew about her 17-year old son's Facebook page, but what she didn't know about were the games attached to the site he was downloading and playing -- until she got a phone call.
"I received a phone call from a Heritage Subaru Volkswagen about my son's credit card application for a vehicle. I spoke to the gentleman, and I said, 'My son hasn't filled out any credit applications. I don't know what you are talking about. He is underage,'" Lockwood said.
...One of the games Lockwood's son was playing on his Facebook page offered extra points in exchange for filling out an application that asked for a Social Security number. He provided the information, filling out a total of seven loan applications, a decision he now finds embarrassing... (Full text at www.ABC.com)

Monday, July 14, 2008

FTC Assessing Identity Theft Fallout

If you've been a victim of identity theft and filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission between Jan. 1 and May 30 this year, you may be contacted for a follow-up survey.

The FTC plans to examine victims' experiences as they reported the matter to credit reporting agencies, as is permitted under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACT Act).

Among other protections, the FACT Act gives consumers the right to place fraud alerts on their credit files if they are, or suspect they may become, victims of identity theft; block information on their credit reports that resulted from identity theft; and obtain copies of their credit reports free of charge.

The survey results will help guide the FTC's efforts to enforce the law and educate consumers and the credit reporting industry about their rights and duties.

Learn more at IDtheft.gov.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

What is "NICLE"?

Answer: National Identity Crimes Law Enforcement Center or NICLE.

It is being started in the Philadelphia area but I hope will roll out National soon. Law Enforcement will have a computer system to share Id Theft Info.

...Pat Meehan, U.S. Attorney said, "This is really an exciting day because the bottom line is we are introducing something that will help us identify those people who are the real culprits in identity theft... catch them and put them in jail."
Data will be uploaded to the network via computer and agencies will be able to exchange information in real time. They'll now know immediately if a driver's license or credit card number was stolen so they can connect the dots in an investigation more quickly.... (Full Text and news video at www.6abc.com)

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Joe Maddon a Victim of Identity Theft

Tampa Bay is kicking booty but ID Theft can happen to anybody as the story shows.

Joe Maddon a Victim of Identity Theft
by Tom Fornelli

...Maddon spent part of his morning Monday getting a new bank card after becoming a victim of identity theft.

"Somebody was charging gasoline in New York City on my debit card," Maddon said. "With the price of gas these days, I would have preferred they had gone to Tiffany's."... (Full text at aol sports)

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Governor Schwarzenegger gets tough on ID Theft

California Expands Identity Theft Prosecution

California has passed a law that makes it easier to prosecute identity thieves.

State law now allows identity thieves to be tried in the victims' jurisdictions, rather than only in the places the crimes occur.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 612 into law this week. It allows prosecutors to charge people with identity theft in the jurisdictions where the victims live. Without the bill, prosecutions could only take place where the crime occurred, which is usually in the perpetrators' towns or cities.

Sen. Joe Simitian, a Palo Alto Democrat sponsored the bill.

The new law does not require prosecution where the victim lives. Instead, it allows a judge to choose where to try identity-theft cases. Simitian and Republican Sens. Dave Cogdill and Bob Margett introduced the law after a "Governor's 2005 Summit on Identity Theft Solutions" highlighted the problem in a report.

Schwarzenegger said he's committed to protecting Californians' personal information and privacy.

Click below to listen to what the Governor had to say to Id Thieves after he signed the bill.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

New Missouri Law Helps ID Theft Victims

On 06/30/08, Governor Blunt of Missouri signed a bill into law that allows Missourians who believe their identities have been stolen to request security freezes on their credit reports.

House Bill 1384, sponsored by Rep. Stanley Cox, R-Sedalia, also will make it easier for identity theft victims to report their crimes to a local police agency, even if the crime occurs outside of the local agency’s jurisdiction.

The new law will make it a class C felony for the possession or manufacture of five or more fictitious or forged identification cards.

It is now punishable by up to seven years in prison for the first offense, along with up to $5000 in fines, not including restitution to victims. Continued offenses can result in up to 15 years in prison.

Welcome aboard Missouri in this never ending battle to combat Id Theft Crime.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Monkey Wards cover up and Kentucky Attorney General has ID Theft problems

Today we have 2 stories involving ID Theft. The first is about a cover up of a data breach by Monkey Wards (that's what I called them as a child) and the second is about an Attorney General who was a victim of ID Theft.

Report: Montgomery Ward fails to alert victims of breach
by Chuck Miller

Mongomery Ward, an old-line merchant now operating as an internet retailer, suffered a breach of some 51,000 customer credit card numbers, and failed to report it to customers, according to reports.

The furniture retailer, which was once a fixture in towns across America, went belly-up in 2001, but came back, lives on as an internet storefront under the name Wards.com, owned by Direct Marketing Services.

Hackers in December extracted the stolen information from an online database that held credit card account information, according to an Associated Press report. Direct Marketing Services notified the major credit card brands of the incident but failed to alert customers.

....Companies that do not notify their affected customers can be sued, though the exact legal measures vary state by state. ..

...This is just the latest in a continuing string of data breaches involving lost consumer information. Why is this criminal activity cropping up more often?....(Full text at SC Magazine)

The following is an interesting read because the Kentucky Attorney General had just created a new Cyber Crimes Unit and his ID Theft is one of their first cases.

State attorney general becomes identity theft victim
By Jack Brammer

FRANKFORT — One of the first cases Attorney General Jack Conway’s new cybercrimes unit will investigate involves Conway himself.
The state’s chief law enforcement official is a victim of America’s fastest growing crime — identity theft.
“It makes you mad. It makes you feel incredibly vulnerable,” said Conway, who said his case is not getting any special attention from his investigators because of his position.
...Conway said he noticed the theft on a Saturday night in late May at his Louisville home when he tried to use his American Express credit card...
...He later discovered that someone had taken his credit card number and charged a few thousand dollars worth of computers,...(Full Text at Kentucky.com)

Just goes to prove that nobody is safe from ID Theft.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
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Sunday, June 29, 2008

LifeLock Sued for Corporate Identity Theft

LifeLock Sued for Corporate Identity Theft
By Kim Zetter

LifeLock is in the news again.
The identity theft protection firm whose CEO lists his Social Security number in ads for the company is being sued by Namesafe, a competitor in the identity theft protection market, for allegedly stealing the company's corporate identity and deceptive trade practices.
According to papers filed in Tennessee, Namesafe claims that LifeLock stole its trademark and deceptively diverted traffic meant for Namesafe's web site to LifeLock's own web site.
...The company says that when users did a search on the word "Namesafe," sponsored ads appeared at the top of search result pages, which included a link for "Namesafe" and "Namesafe.com." But when users clicked the link, it took them to LifeLock's web site instead. The name LifeLock appeared in the ads next to or beneath "Namesafe" and "Namesafe.com," but Namesafe says the ads were clearly designed to fool Namesafe customers...
...This is not the first lawsuit against LifeLock. The company has been the target of class-action lawsuits from customers questioning its protection claims as well as a suit from credit reporting agency Experian for acting on consumers' behalf to place alerts on their credit accounts... (Full Text at Wired Blog Network)

Click the title of this post to see the whole story. At the end of the story are additional links regarding the co-founder of Lifelock and his resignation because if Identity Theft allegations.

Social Security and Identity Theft

Agency Sees Theft Risk for ID Card in Medicare
by Robert Pear
WASHINGTON — Social Security officials, concerned about the risk of identity theft, are calling for immediate action to remove Social Security numbers from the Medicare cards used by millions of Americans.

But Medicare officials have resisted the proposal, saying it would be costly and impractical.
In a new report, the inspector general of Social Security, Patrick P. O’Carroll Jr., says “immediate action is needed.”
“Displaying such information on Medicare cards unnecessarily places millions of individuals at risk for identity theft,” Mr. O’Carroll said. “We do not believe a federal agency should place more value on convenience than the security of its beneficiaries’ personal information.”
...Social Security cannot prohibit the Medicare agency from using Social Security numbers, although Congress could do so. Federal officials say that more than 40 million people who are 65 and older or disabled have Medicare cards with Social Security numbers on them...
...Byron Hollis, director of the antifraud department at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, said, “Medical identity theft is the fastest-growing form of health care fraud.”...
Ms. Frizzera, the Medicare official, said that issuing new Medicare cards would be “a huge undertaking.” The agency would need three years to plan such a move and eight more years to carry it out, she said.
Medicare officials estimate that it would cost $500 million to change their computer systems if they issued new ID numbers to beneficiaries. Doctors, hospitals and other health care providers use those numbers in filing claims with Medicare, which pays a billion claims a year...
“Many individuals carry their Medicare cards in their wallets or purses and could become victims of identity theft should dishonest individuals steal such items or lift their Medicare number from a beneficiary card or medical document,” Mr. O’Carroll said.
Other federal agencies are taking steps to remove Social Security numbers from identification cards. The Department of Veterans Affairs said that new identification cards issued to veterans generally did not display Social Security numbers.. (Full Text at NY Times)

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Vacation Time!

I haven't posted during the last week due to going out of the country for a week. I forgot to post there would be no articles during this time. However, I am back and will resume posting by tomorrow.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Security Breaches Update

According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, the total number of Security Breaches in the United States as of 06/17/08 is 323 with a the number of exposed records at 16,820,247. Full report at the Identity Theft Resource Center

After reviewing the list, I noticed that the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics was listed as 0 records exposed because the data was encrypted. The number of medical records stolen was 2.2 million. However, when I spoke with the University, I was told only 1.3 million had social security numbers in the records. They are offering ID Theft protection services so they must be worried about their encryption method. If you figure in this number, then the total records exposed would be over 19,000,000. If you have been a patient at these Hospitals or clinics in the last 16 years then visit http://healthcare.utah.edu/billingrecordstheft/index.html

As far as the data being encrypted, this is what is being reported:

After consulting with a recognized information technology security firm, University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics determined that it is possible to access the data, but only by using professional equipment.

Here is what happened:

Early in the morning on Monday, June 2, a metal box that contained backup tapes with patient billing records from University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics was stolen from a vehicle owned by an employee of an independent off-site storage company used by the hospital and clinics. The driver violated two of his company’s protocols: first, he used his own car instead of a secure company van to transport the tapes; second, he did not take the tapes to the company’s secure vault but drove home, where he left the box of tapes in the car outside overnight.

The backup tapes contained billing records for approximately 2.2 million individuals, patients and guarantors (persons financially responsible for paying), treated at University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics’ facilities or by one of our providers during the past 16 years. The billing records included patient names, related demographic information, and diagnostic codes. Approximately 900,000 patients did not have a Social Security number attached to their records. For approximately 1.3 million of these patients, the personal information did include Social Security numbers. Not all data fields on the billing records were filled in for each patient, but types of information possibly included on the tapes are date of birth, physician name, insurance, driver’s license number, and in rare instances clinical notes corroborating diagnosis for billing purposes. No credit card information was included on the tapes.

The University is offering Triple Advantage from Experian. However, with all the medical info on the tapes, I would not only be worried about financial identity theft but also MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT. I didn't see anywhere at Triple Advantage where Medical Identity Theft would be covered.

At least I know the company I recommend, Kroll, Inc. will assist if medical identity theft occurs.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

How to Recognize and Report Phone Fraud

Today we offer a video lesson on how to recognize and report phone fraud by the FTC.

A recap - to get on the Do Not Call list go to www.donotcall.gov or call 888-382-1222 from the number you wish to register

To file a consumer complaint go to www.ftc.gov or call 877-FTCHELP

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Canadian Mail Theft Capital is Vancouver!

Vancouver is Canada's mail theft capital
Vancouver leads the country in cases of stolen mail, part of an epidemic of identity theft here, authorities say in the first of a four-part CTV series.

The city is a bonanza for identity thieves, who use stolen credit card statements and cheques to drain victims' bank accounts, said Sgt. Ken Athans, who runs the Vancouver Police Department's identity theft task force.
......At any one time, police are keeping track of 300 identity thieves in Vancouver alone....
Vancouver is at the centre of a perfect storm, he said. Crystal meth addicts who need to support an expensive lifestyle turned to the high density of Vancouver's West End and Yaletown to find a lot of mail in a small area.
...Athans said he's worried that identity thieves, who are targeting Vancouverites, will widen the hunt when the city welcomes the world for the Olympics in 2010....
A dedicated crown prosecutor, Peter Stabler, convicts an identity thief every other business day in Vancouver.

Authorities struggling to keep up with the problem are appointing another dedicated crown prosecutor in Surrey as well, said Stabler. (Full text and a video at CTV British Columbia) With a report by CTV British Columbia's Jonathan Woodward

If methamphetamine is a huge crisis in Canada now, the problem will continue to grow. I know since I worked with the DOJ/Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement for 2 years in California and mainly worked meth sales and labs.

I can't remember when we arrested someone who did not have someone else's financial information with them or at their illegal lab.

Good Luck to my friends in the Great White North and if you need Identity Theft protection, visit my shameless plug because we offer our plans in four provinces of Canada and BC is one of them.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

A Conglomerate of Things

I've been gone for a few days assisting the Crime Victims Coalition. I'm just going to post a few briefs here to bring everybody up to today.

And a Happy Fathers Day to all! Enjoy your family or golf game or Lakers game or Just Enjoy!

1. For those that don't know, Stanford University had a laptop stolen with 72,000 names, social security numbers, etc. I was able to speak with a spokesperson there and they will be using Kroll, Inc to protect the victims. Kroll is the servicer of the plan that I recommend on my shameless link at the bottom of my posts.

2. In a bid to combat the increasing incidence of medical identity theft, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has contracted with Virginia-based Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., a leading global strategy and technology consulting firm, to assess and evaluate the extent of the problem in US. The privately held company was awarded the contract worth $450,000 in May this year.

3. A federal judge on Friday declined to approve a proposed settlement of a class-action representing as many as 6.3 million TD Ameritrade customers whose privacy was breached when hackers stole personal identifying customer information. ..

....The data theft, disclosed in September, gave hackers access to customer names, phone numbers, e-mail accounts and home addresses. There is "no evidence" Social Security or account information was compromised, according to Ameritrade. According to the settlement, there is no "evidence of identity theft." Customers fell victim, however, to spam attacks.....

..For the most part, the accord gives customers a one-year subscription to spam-blocking software. (Full Text at www.wired.com)

Spam blocking software --- Isn't that special. I hope they settle for nothing less than ID Theft Shield.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

Shameless plug
the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com