Stop Identity Theft Crime

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)