Monday, February 23, 2004
The Rutland Herald Online - Bills target identity theft, documentation
Isn't it amazing that the government has to create legislation to force the companies we deal with on a regular basis to properly dispose of our personal information?
Isn't it amazing that the government has to create legislation to force the companies we deal with on a regular basis to properly dispose of our personal information?
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Victim of ID theft ends up in jail
Many people I've talked with lately assume that ID Theft is just about having someone take your money. But, as in this story of a victim, thieves can cause a lot more damage than lost money for the victim.
For this victim, having credit monitoring services might have assisted her, but a legal service plan that provided trial defense hours, 24-hour access to an attorney, and a ID Theft shield would have been a great benefit.
Many people I've talked with lately assume that ID Theft is just about having someone take your money. But, as in this story of a victim, thieves can cause a lot more damage than lost money for the victim.
For this victim, having credit monitoring services might have assisted her, but a legal service plan that provided trial defense hours, 24-hour access to an attorney, and a ID Theft shield would have been a great benefit.
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
AARP Bulletin | Your Life | Stealing Your Life
Experts say the number of cases has been doubling every year since 2000.
Experts say the number of cases has been doubling every year since 2000.
Monday, February 16, 2004
Identity theft. - Jan. 22, 2004
In 2003, the Federal Trade Commission received more than half a million complaints from consumers who lost more than $437 million in crimes ranging from I.D. theft to sham Web auctions and bogus business opportunities.
In 2003, the Federal Trade Commission received more than half a million complaints from consumers who lost more than $437 million in crimes ranging from I.D. theft to sham Web auctions and bogus business opportunities.
Friday, February 13, 2004
MSNBC - Identity theft tops consumer woes ... again
"For the fourth straight year, identity theft is the top consumer complaint, the FTC said Thursday - with 214,000 consumers saying they were hit with the crime in the past year, an increase of 33 percent over 2002. Another 301,000 reports were filed in 2003 dealing with all manner of consumer fraud -- more than half of them Internet-related. . . .
"Jones figures her two-year fight with her imposter has cost her much more than that, at least several thousand dollars, just in legal fees."
It is incredible to think that this is such a hot topic, and yet there are hardly any products out there to assist people with it. And those that are out there mostly just monitor credit reports, leaving the fighting up to the victim.
"For the fourth straight year, identity theft is the top consumer complaint, the FTC said Thursday - with 214,000 consumers saying they were hit with the crime in the past year, an increase of 33 percent over 2002. Another 301,000 reports were filed in 2003 dealing with all manner of consumer fraud -- more than half of them Internet-related. . . .
"Jones figures her two-year fight with her imposter has cost her much more than that, at least several thousand dollars, just in legal fees."
It is incredible to think that this is such a hot topic, and yet there are hardly any products out there to assist people with it. And those that are out there mostly just monitor credit reports, leaving the fighting up to the victim.
Thursday, February 12, 2004
MSNBC - When ID theft hits: What to do
"In fact, victims should expect to spend about 175 hours on the paperwork necessary to clean up the fallout from an identity theft. . . .
"So the first thing a victim must do is “think like a police officer or a lawyer,” according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. Anything might turn into evidence — phone bills, credit card applications, even notes from telephone calls. From day one, you must think about building the case you will need to present to creditors and credit bureaus, so don’t discard anything."
Definitely sage advice for those who decide to take it on themselves. Of course, I would much rather pay someone else a few bucks a month to do all this for me, and to monitor my credit report for me every day.
"In fact, victims should expect to spend about 175 hours on the paperwork necessary to clean up the fallout from an identity theft. . . .
"So the first thing a victim must do is “think like a police officer or a lawyer,” according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. Anything might turn into evidence — phone bills, credit card applications, even notes from telephone calls. From day one, you must think about building the case you will need to present to creditors and credit bureaus, so don’t discard anything."
Definitely sage advice for those who decide to take it on themselves. Of course, I would much rather pay someone else a few bucks a month to do all this for me, and to monitor my credit report for me every day.
