You'd think that by now with ID theft as prevalent as it is, that we'd have a better grip on what to do to prevent it and keep these thieves from stealing our information. Well, necessity is the mother of invention. Thieves continue to use more sophisticated techniques to stay up with or ahead of modern technology. To make matters worse, it's not just technology they're adapting to. They are also adapting to troubled times and using our down-turned economy to their advantage.
An article I read on the pressofAtlanticCity.com website quotes Jay Foley of the Identity Theft Resource Center as saying that thieves are continuing to be more creative and adapting to the current economic conditions. They are taking advantage of people who are looking for jobs, losing homes, and whatever else is ailing us. Be alert for these kind of scams. Offers of lower interest on your current home loan can seem promising, but make sure you verify the source of the lower interest and read the fine lines. Make sure it's real.
You can read more here. It seems that things are likely to get worse before they get better. Which is why you might consider an identity theft recovery solution from Merchants Information Solutions, Inc.. While prevention is the key to identity theft, it is always helpful to have a recovery advocate working on your behalf to restore your good name and credit to it's pre-theft status, should you become the victim of identity theft.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Who's Watching the Watchers?
I'm the kind of individual that believes if I have to spend the night in the hospital, I shouldn't take anything of value with me (iPods, cellphones, laptops, etc.). These only serve as temptations to those with lesser scruples, causing them to wait until I'm out of the room, in the restroom, or fast asleep to sneak in and help these items grow legs. If it's valuable, leave it at home. It's unfortunate that we can't take the same approach with our identities.
Today, some delightful health care billing worker in Los Angeles has been accused of stealing the identities of more than 1,000 patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and using those identities to steal from insurance companies. What a black eye for the medical community. The former employee, James Allen Wilson, is accused of taking around $69,000, but the investigation continues. Read more here, or here.
I can't help but wonder if Mr. Allen was ever properly screened before obtaining employment at the medical center? Even if he was, he may have had a, pardon the pun, clean bill of health prior to this event. Regardless, I hope that Cedars-Sinai Medical Center takes proper precautions in the future to ensure such an event never happens again. Screen, screen, screen.
ID theft is growing rapidly and it can happen any time, any place. Have you taken measures to ensure your identity remains healthy? If not, Merchants Information Solutions identity theft product, SmartIDentity+, can help you protect yourself and your family by offering email alerts, credit monitoring, identity monitoring, and a fully-managed recovery solution in case you ever become a victim. Cover your bases. Make sure someone is watching the watchers.
Today, some delightful health care billing worker in Los Angeles has been accused of stealing the identities of more than 1,000 patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and using those identities to steal from insurance companies. What a black eye for the medical community. The former employee, James Allen Wilson, is accused of taking around $69,000, but the investigation continues. Read more here, or here.
I can't help but wonder if Mr. Allen was ever properly screened before obtaining employment at the medical center? Even if he was, he may have had a, pardon the pun, clean bill of health prior to this event. Regardless, I hope that Cedars-Sinai Medical Center takes proper precautions in the future to ensure such an event never happens again. Screen, screen, screen.
ID theft is growing rapidly and it can happen any time, any place. Have you taken measures to ensure your identity remains healthy? If not, Merchants Information Solutions identity theft product, SmartIDentity+, can help you protect yourself and your family by offering email alerts, credit monitoring, identity monitoring, and a fully-managed recovery solution in case you ever become a victim. Cover your bases. Make sure someone is watching the watchers.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
3 Ohio Officials lose jobs over Joe-the-Plumber Records Search
Regardless of which presidential candidate you supported, and regardless of your personal feelings toward Joe Wurzelbacher; this can't be seen as anything other than a victory for maintaining privacy, greater protection against identity theft from state actors, greater safeguards against official misconduct.
Yesterday, the Houston Chronicle reported that Ohio governor Ted Strickland accepted the resignation of Helen Jones-Kelley (Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services). She commented at the time of her resignation that "this decision comes after a time of pause, in which I realize that I continue to be used as a political postscript, providing a distraction from urgent state priorities".
Jones-Kelley Resigns
Governor Strickland, through his spokesman, said "he understands her decision and accepts her resignation". No word on whether Jones-Kelley offered her resignation of her own volition, or whether the governor asked for it. I leave it to you to draw your own conclusion.
I do, however, think it noteworthy that never at any time did Jones-Kelley make an admission of wrong-doing. She never came forward to say that she had made an error in judgment. She never begged the pardon of Mr. Wurzelbacher or the people of Ohio who she serves.
Assistants Dismissed
So that no one is under the mistaken impression that Jones-Kelley is in the right, her two deputies (Fred Williams, the Assistant Director is out on January 31, 2009 and Doug Thompson, Deputy Director for Child Support is likewise out on December 22, 2008) are getting the axe for their involvement in the misdeeds.
More to the point, Jones-Kelly continues to proclaim her innocence. In the statement accompanying her resignation, she continues to practice denial saying that she will not allow her reputation to be disparaged. I find it curious that no matter how often or how loudly she trumpets that what she did (investigators confirmed that she accessed Mr. Wurzelbacher's records) was proper, the public is not half so thick as she believes and has consistently asked for her to be held to account.
That day has come.
Ohio is expected, in the wake of this smear on the Ohio public officials, to adopt new restrictions today on who can access personal records and for what purpose .
Reconciliation?
Perhaps Jones-Kelley will at some future day to reach deep inside and grasp the courage and insight sufficient to admit to herself that she did wrong and then attempt to make amends. Judging from her resignation statement, her deepest regret seems to be, not that she did something wrong, but rather that she got caught. Not a positive start on reconciliation process, but perhaps the end of a career will grant her the time and space to make the admission.
In the meantime, she should count herself fortunate that the consequences arising from her misdeeds resulted only in the self-inflicted wounds of: losing her job, trashing her reputation, and likely ending her career as a public official. It might have gone worse if the attorney general had wanted to aggressively pursue the issue by seeking not only her resignation, but also fines, and jail time.
Yesterday, the Houston Chronicle reported that Ohio governor Ted Strickland accepted the resignation of Helen Jones-Kelley (Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services). She commented at the time of her resignation that "this decision comes after a time of pause, in which I realize that I continue to be used as a political postscript, providing a distraction from urgent state priorities".
Jones-Kelley Resigns
Governor Strickland, through his spokesman, said "he understands her decision and accepts her resignation". No word on whether Jones-Kelley offered her resignation of her own volition, or whether the governor asked for it. I leave it to you to draw your own conclusion.
I do, however, think it noteworthy that never at any time did Jones-Kelley make an admission of wrong-doing. She never came forward to say that she had made an error in judgment. She never begged the pardon of Mr. Wurzelbacher or the people of Ohio who she serves.
Assistants Dismissed
So that no one is under the mistaken impression that Jones-Kelley is in the right, her two deputies (Fred Williams, the Assistant Director is out on January 31, 2009 and Doug Thompson, Deputy Director for Child Support is likewise out on December 22, 2008) are getting the axe for their involvement in the misdeeds.
More to the point, Jones-Kelly continues to proclaim her innocence. In the statement accompanying her resignation, she continues to practice denial saying that she will not allow her reputation to be disparaged. I find it curious that no matter how often or how loudly she trumpets that what she did (investigators confirmed that she accessed Mr. Wurzelbacher's records) was proper, the public is not half so thick as she believes and has consistently asked for her to be held to account.
That day has come.
Ohio is expected, in the wake of this smear on the Ohio public officials, to adopt new restrictions today on who can access personal records and for what purpose .
Reconciliation?
Perhaps Jones-Kelley will at some future day to reach deep inside and grasp the courage and insight sufficient to admit to herself that she did wrong and then attempt to make amends. Judging from her resignation statement, her deepest regret seems to be, not that she did something wrong, but rather that she got caught. Not a positive start on reconciliation process, but perhaps the end of a career will grant her the time and space to make the admission.
In the meantime, she should count herself fortunate that the consequences arising from her misdeeds resulted only in the self-inflicted wounds of: losing her job, trashing her reputation, and likely ending her career as a public official. It might have gone worse if the attorney general had wanted to aggressively pursue the issue by seeking not only her resignation, but also fines, and jail time.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Former FEMA Worker Sentenced for Aggravated Identity Theft
Robert G. Davis, 44, of the District of Columbia, received a sentence of 64 months in prison from U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton. The sentence also included payment of $48,765.80 in restitution to the victims. The sentence was in response to a guilty plea he entered earlier this year to charges of wire fraud (1 count) and aggravated identity theft (1 count).
Davis was employeed by a number of mortgage companies and subsequently by FEMA, from December 2003 to November 2007. During this time, Davis fraudulently used the personal information of 200 people to finance multiple shopping sprees. The items purchased were not just the everyday household products but luxury items instead. They included: gold and diamond jewelry, designer watches, gourmet food, and expensive clothing. Davis grew weary of wearing the same old jewelry, so he pawned some of it and bought more.
The victims of his fraud did nothing that would have put them at unusual risk. They were simply living normal lives trying to get by. In fact, 30 of the 200 were simply disaster victims applying to FEMA for relief.
This is just another excellent illustration that you have to exercise bad judgement or take unusual risks to be a victim of identity theft. All it takes is for one bad actor to have motive and opportunity.
That's why Merchants believes it is so important to protect yourself by enrolling in Merchants SmartIdentity program. We'll watch your credit file for you and send you email alerts when suspicious activity occurs. If you do become a victim, our Recovery Advocates can do the legwork for you to contact all of the creditors to straighten things out.
Davis was employeed by a number of mortgage companies and subsequently by FEMA, from December 2003 to November 2007. During this time, Davis fraudulently used the personal information of 200 people to finance multiple shopping sprees. The items purchased were not just the everyday household products but luxury items instead. They included: gold and diamond jewelry, designer watches, gourmet food, and expensive clothing. Davis grew weary of wearing the same old jewelry, so he pawned some of it and bought more.
The victims of his fraud did nothing that would have put them at unusual risk. They were simply living normal lives trying to get by. In fact, 30 of the 200 were simply disaster victims applying to FEMA for relief.
This is just another excellent illustration that you have to exercise bad judgement or take unusual risks to be a victim of identity theft. All it takes is for one bad actor to have motive and opportunity.
That's why Merchants believes it is so important to protect yourself by enrolling in Merchants SmartIdentity program. We'll watch your credit file for you and send you email alerts when suspicious activity occurs. If you do become a victim, our Recovery Advocates can do the legwork for you to contact all of the creditors to straighten things out.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Identity Theft, the IRS, and You
Question: What happens when someone steals your identity and gains employment under your identity (but conveniently doesn't pay income tax)?
Answer: The IRS sends you a bill for the taxes the identity thief didn't pay.
Surprise!
That's what happened to an Chicago area 41-yr old woman. Surprise! You owe the government $22,024.40 in back taxes (to say nothing of penalties and interest). Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!
What a (un)pleasant bit of news that must have been to receive. With the economy in a tailspin, the banking and housing sectors in complete meltdown, and inflation in food and energy up significantly; one might have been tempted to ask what else could go wrong. For the victim of identity theft, we now know the answer.
An Old Theft
According to the news report, the identity theft had actually occurred years earlier (on or before mid-2006). The accused identity thief (Rosa Flores-Velasco of nearby Elgin, IL) had purchased the identity (Name, Social Security Number, and Date of Birth) for $500 and assumed the identity for purposes of, at least, employment and obtaining a telephone account.
Flores-Velasco had additionally obtained, an additional fraud, a resident alien card with her own picture but the victim's name and information. The telephone account was also a trouble spot as it had referred to collections for non-payment.
The Anticipated Future of the Thief
Flores-Velasco has been arrested and charged with Identity Theft. Her bail has been set at $5,000 and she has been inducted into the Kane County jail. Her hearing is set for December 3rd. Her immigration status and other potential frauds relating to the identity theft are likely to be discussed then. For Rosa Flores-Velasco, her journey through the criminal justice system is just beginning.
The Anticipated Future of the Victim
Since the full details of the frauds committed by the identity thief are not yet known, it is clear that the journey of discovery, repair, and remediation has only just begun. Dealing with the consequences of identity theft can take hundreds of hours. In this case (long-term theft), the damages are likely to be both broad and deep.
Recovering your good name, dissolving fraudulent debt, restoring a valid credit worthiness score are all challenging. Dealing with government agencies like the Immigrations and Customs Service as well as the Internal Revenue Service generally do not rate very high on the list of "fun things to do".
How Merchants Helps
Merchants Information Solutions, Inc. has developed a service offering that helps folks recover from the consequences of identity theft. We have trained Recovery Advocates (RA's) that can assume much of the burden of clearing your name. The RA's can, upon execution of a limited power of attorney, act on your behalf contacting banks, credit card companies, utility providers, and other creditors where there is fraudulent debt. They can also contact government agencies (like ICE and IRS) and get things straightened out. We call this procedure our "Managed Recovery".
Of no less importance than our system of Managed Recovery, is our prevention service. Merchants' SmartIdentity program actively monitors your credit and other factors and sends you email alerts when potential trouble is spotted. We believe that prevention truly is better than cure. So when yet one more story of how identity theft has made the life of someone else very unpleasant, do more than just think about protecting yourself and your family.
Source:
- http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=250846
Answer: The IRS sends you a bill for the taxes the identity thief didn't pay.
Surprise!
That's what happened to an Chicago area 41-yr old woman. Surprise! You owe the government $22,024.40 in back taxes (to say nothing of penalties and interest). Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!
What a (un)pleasant bit of news that must have been to receive. With the economy in a tailspin, the banking and housing sectors in complete meltdown, and inflation in food and energy up significantly; one might have been tempted to ask what else could go wrong. For the victim of identity theft, we now know the answer.
An Old Theft
According to the news report, the identity theft had actually occurred years earlier (on or before mid-2006). The accused identity thief (Rosa Flores-Velasco of nearby Elgin, IL) had purchased the identity (Name, Social Security Number, and Date of Birth) for $500 and assumed the identity for purposes of, at least, employment and obtaining a telephone account.
Flores-Velasco had additionally obtained, an additional fraud, a resident alien card with her own picture but the victim's name and information. The telephone account was also a trouble spot as it had referred to collections for non-payment.
The Anticipated Future of the Thief
Flores-Velasco has been arrested and charged with Identity Theft. Her bail has been set at $5,000 and she has been inducted into the Kane County jail. Her hearing is set for December 3rd. Her immigration status and other potential frauds relating to the identity theft are likely to be discussed then. For Rosa Flores-Velasco, her journey through the criminal justice system is just beginning.
The Anticipated Future of the Victim
Since the full details of the frauds committed by the identity thief are not yet known, it is clear that the journey of discovery, repair, and remediation has only just begun. Dealing with the consequences of identity theft can take hundreds of hours. In this case (long-term theft), the damages are likely to be both broad and deep.
Recovering your good name, dissolving fraudulent debt, restoring a valid credit worthiness score are all challenging. Dealing with government agencies like the Immigrations and Customs Service as well as the Internal Revenue Service generally do not rate very high on the list of "fun things to do".
How Merchants Helps
Merchants Information Solutions, Inc. has developed a service offering that helps folks recover from the consequences of identity theft. We have trained Recovery Advocates (RA's) that can assume much of the burden of clearing your name. The RA's can, upon execution of a limited power of attorney, act on your behalf contacting banks, credit card companies, utility providers, and other creditors where there is fraudulent debt. They can also contact government agencies (like ICE and IRS) and get things straightened out. We call this procedure our "Managed Recovery".
Of no less importance than our system of Managed Recovery, is our prevention service. Merchants' SmartIdentity program actively monitors your credit and other factors and sends you email alerts when potential trouble is spotted. We believe that prevention truly is better than cure. So when yet one more story of how identity theft has made the life of someone else very unpleasant, do more than just think about protecting yourself and your family.
Source:
- http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=250846
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
When the Going Gets Tough, the Identity Thieves Get Going
Things are already difficult and show no signs of improving in the near term. As if that were not sufficiently bad news, identity theft shows no sign of abating either.
Just yesterday at a Wal-Mart in the Phoenix metro area, a woman was arrested for reportedly stealing the identity of another Phoenix area resident and using the stolen credit card number (and an apparent forged driver's license) to purchase goods online from a local Wal-Mart.
Chandler police arrested Crystal Wright when she attempted to pick up the goods purchased with the stolen credit card (kudos to the Wal-Mart folks who spotted the fraud). However, when Ms. Wright was arrested, she did not reveal her true identity and instead used the stolen identity of Margaret Farnsworth. After Ms. Wright's arrest, she was released.
A local newspaper reported the arrest. An alert friend of the real Ms. Farnsworth read the report of the arrest in the newspaper and informed the real Ms. Farnsworth. The real Ms. Farnsworth, upon learning that someone claiming to be her had been arrested, contacted the Maricopa County Attorney's Office (kudos to both Ms. Farnsworth for promptly reporting and to the alert friend).
Tempe police then went back and discovered Ms. Wright's true identity and have begun to clear Ms. Farnsworth's good name.
Ms. Wright has subsequently plead guilty to the charge of Aggravated Identity Theft (Class 3 felony) and may be spending some quality time in Sherriff Arpaio's (Maricopa County) famous Tent City jail.
Among the interesting things about this particular incident was that it highlights that the danger of identity theft goes well beyond just money. Imagine how unpleasant it might have been for Ms. Farnsworth (the real one) when Ms. Wright didn't show up for an arraignment hearing. The Sherriff's deputies could be on her doorstep to arrest, to charge, and to induct her into Tent City.
Sources:
- http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/11/11/20081111cr-idtheft1112.html
- http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/113191
Just yesterday at a Wal-Mart in the Phoenix metro area, a woman was arrested for reportedly stealing the identity of another Phoenix area resident and using the stolen credit card number (and an apparent forged driver's license) to purchase goods online from a local Wal-Mart.
Chandler police arrested Crystal Wright when she attempted to pick up the goods purchased with the stolen credit card (kudos to the Wal-Mart folks who spotted the fraud). However, when Ms. Wright was arrested, she did not reveal her true identity and instead used the stolen identity of Margaret Farnsworth. After Ms. Wright's arrest, she was released.
A local newspaper reported the arrest. An alert friend of the real Ms. Farnsworth read the report of the arrest in the newspaper and informed the real Ms. Farnsworth. The real Ms. Farnsworth, upon learning that someone claiming to be her had been arrested, contacted the Maricopa County Attorney's Office (kudos to both Ms. Farnsworth for promptly reporting and to the alert friend).
 |  |
| Margaret Farnsworth | Crystal Wright |
Tempe police then went back and discovered Ms. Wright's true identity and have begun to clear Ms. Farnsworth's good name.
Ms. Wright has subsequently plead guilty to the charge of Aggravated Identity Theft (Class 3 felony) and may be spending some quality time in Sherriff Arpaio's (Maricopa County) famous Tent City jail.
Among the interesting things about this particular incident was that it highlights that the danger of identity theft goes well beyond just money. Imagine how unpleasant it might have been for Ms. Farnsworth (the real one) when Ms. Wright didn't show up for an arraignment hearing. The Sherriff's deputies could be on her doorstep to arrest, to charge, and to induct her into Tent City.
Sources:
- http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/11/11/20081111cr-idtheft1112.html
- http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/113191
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
More Vishing Attacks Seen
We continue to see more and more "Vishing" attacks mounted against unwary consumers. Attackers typically like to target large consumer bases so they focus efforts on impersonating large organizations (federal, state, or local government entities, banks, utilities, employees of large companies, etc.).
I recently read of just another such attack. In this particular attack, the attackers targeted a large utility company (DTE Energy). Metro Detroit residents were contacted by telephone by the attackers posing as representatives of DTE. In the recorded message, the attackers threatened the residents by stating that the resident's account was overdue and that services would be cut. The residents were then instructed to call a toll-free number for resolution.
The provided toll-free number was one operated by the attackers. When the residents called the number, they were instructed to supply their name, address, and social security number. Once the identity information had been harvested by the attackers, the residents were told that they had been contacted in error and the issue had been successfully resolved (no further action required on their part).
The attack was well executed. The recording was believable and convincing. The attack appeared legitimate as DTE does use an automated phone system to contact customers for billing issues but does not collect sensitive information.
It is very easy to become a victim. Identity theft wouldn't be the popular crime that it is if it didn't pay well for the attacker and was reasonably easy to execute successfully. It only requires that the target drop their guard for a moment.
If you receive phone calls like this, be suspicious and verify the source. You can visit the website of the utility company to get their phone number or use the telephone directory. Don't assume that the call is legitimate. You can confirm the veracity of the call by calling back using the phone number you obtained by using your telephone directory or visiting the company's website. A healthy dose of skepticism will go a long way.
Here at Merchants, we see a number of folks who have concluded that their personal information was at risk and didn't feel comfortable not having a safety net were they to discover that their identity had been stolen. For these good folks we offer broad spectrum consumer oriented identity theft services which include: education, prevention, detection, and remediation.
In some cases, forward-thinking companies use our business-to-business oriented services to safeguard their employees (offering them as an employee benefit) or to their customers (a customer benefit for valuable customers). In other cases, companies or other large entities approach us when they fear that information they possess relating to their customers and/or employees might have been compromised (lost, stolen, or made public).
However our customers come to us, we provide the security and peace of mind they seek. It's a risky world out there with bad actors ready to steal not only your money, but also your good name and reputation. You don't have to go it alone, Merchants can help.
I recently read of just another such attack. In this particular attack, the attackers targeted a large utility company (DTE Energy). Metro Detroit residents were contacted by telephone by the attackers posing as representatives of DTE. In the recorded message, the attackers threatened the residents by stating that the resident's account was overdue and that services would be cut. The residents were then instructed to call a toll-free number for resolution.
The provided toll-free number was one operated by the attackers. When the residents called the number, they were instructed to supply their name, address, and social security number. Once the identity information had been harvested by the attackers, the residents were told that they had been contacted in error and the issue had been successfully resolved (no further action required on their part).
The attack was well executed. The recording was believable and convincing. The attack appeared legitimate as DTE does use an automated phone system to contact customers for billing issues but does not collect sensitive information.
It is very easy to become a victim. Identity theft wouldn't be the popular crime that it is if it didn't pay well for the attacker and was reasonably easy to execute successfully. It only requires that the target drop their guard for a moment.
If you receive phone calls like this, be suspicious and verify the source. You can visit the website of the utility company to get their phone number or use the telephone directory. Don't assume that the call is legitimate. You can confirm the veracity of the call by calling back using the phone number you obtained by using your telephone directory or visiting the company's website. A healthy dose of skepticism will go a long way.
Here at Merchants, we see a number of folks who have concluded that their personal information was at risk and didn't feel comfortable not having a safety net were they to discover that their identity had been stolen. For these good folks we offer broad spectrum consumer oriented identity theft services which include: education, prevention, detection, and remediation.
In some cases, forward-thinking companies use our business-to-business oriented services to safeguard their employees (offering them as an employee benefit) or to their customers (a customer benefit for valuable customers). In other cases, companies or other large entities approach us when they fear that information they possess relating to their customers and/or employees might have been compromised (lost, stolen, or made public).
However our customers come to us, we provide the security and peace of mind they seek. It's a risky world out there with bad actors ready to steal not only your money, but also your good name and reputation. You don't have to go it alone, Merchants can help.
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