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THEFT OF PERSONAL DATA
News stories about databases that have been compromised and stories about identity theft.




Protect, don't suffocate me on ID theft (opinion)
"I am not myself these days. I don't know who I am, but I am definitely not myself. A lady on the phone as much as told me so. This was after she had given me a test to prove that I am me. I failed."
Full story - Buffalo News
Submitted by Anonymous, Wed Oct 5 09:06:09 EDT 2005



California passes 'no phishing' law
"California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill on Friday making internet "phishing" identity theft scams punishable by law."
Full story - Silicon.com
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Oct 3 08:34:39 EDT 2005



ID theft insurance not always good option
"The advertisements are intentionally frightening: If someone steals your identity, you could lose your home, your job, even your life. The ads are meant to scare you into buying identity-theft protection. And while the problem is real, insurance isn't always the answer."
Full story - The State
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Oct 3 08:27:42 EDT 2005



Dain Rauscher discloses possible data theft
"RBC Dain Rauscher, the Minneapolis-based U.S. securities arm of Royal Bank of Canada, told its customers that some of their personal information may have been stolen. The firm began an investigation and notified its clients after a "small number" of customers received anonymous letters detailing the theft from someone purporting to be a former employee, the brokerage said Tuesday."
Full story - TwinCities.com (reg. req.)
Submitted by Anonymous, Wed Sep 28 08:26:06 EDT 2005



Judge sides with Visa, MasterCard in consumer suit
"A California judge ruled Friday that Visa USA Inc. and MasterCard International Inc. don't have to send individual warnings to thousands of consumers whose personal account information was stolen during a high-tech heist uncovered earlier this year."
Full story - Chicago Sun-Times
Submitted by Anonymous, Sun Sep 25 06:20:23 EDT 2005



Phishing and denial of service attacks surge during 2005
"Phishing attacks are up 100% on 2004 and denial of service attacks have jumped by 680% as users continue to expose their computers to online threats, according to a report published yesterday by internet security experts Symantec."
Full story - Out-Law.com
Submitted by Anonymous, Tue Sep 20 16:49:44 EDT 2005



U.K. Billionaire Green Victim Of ID Fraud
"... hoaxers have now realized there are bigger phish to fry, in the form of corporate identity theft. According to a British newspaper report, billionaire entrepreneur Philip Green has apparently run afoul of such trouble."
Full story - Forbes
Submitted by Anonymous, Tue Sep 20 09:22:47 EDT 2005



Some employers offer ID theft coverage
"(some) Employers are buying policies that help employees who have their identities stolen or that help guard against such theft. The actual benefits might vary, but they include credit monitoring, case manager help with identity recovery and reimbursement for lost wages."
Full story - The Journal News
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Sep 19 07:46:45 EDT 2005



Medicare, Defense Cards Boon to ID Theft
""We tell people all the time that they shouldn't carry their Social Security number in their wallet," said Susanna Montezemolo, a policy analyst with Consumers Union in Washington. "Their response is, 'Well, it's on my Medicare card.'" An estimated 8 million military men and women and their families, must use cards with Social Security numbers to gain access to computers at work or base commissaries, reported the Los Angeles Times Saturday."
Full story - military.com
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Sep 19 07:44:12 EDT 2005



ID theft passport could help you clear your name
"Montana victims of identity theft will have a new tool to help restore their good names and credit as of Oct. 1. That's when the new Identity Theft Passport program kicks off."
Full story - Great Falls Tribune Online
Submitted by Anonymous, Sun Sep 18 11:41:56 EDT 2005



Local investigation uncovers elaborate case of identity theft
"This time, it's not Mcanulty being held for questioning but Joshua Deprez, 30. Deprez is in York County Jail facing charges of probation violation and aggravated theft. He's also being held as a fugitive from justice because DNA testing has convinced California authorities that it's Deprez they've wanted all along."
Full story - Press Herald/Maine Today
Submitted by Anonymous, Sat Sep 17 11:15:25 EDT 2005



Officer relieved of duty in data-password probe
"Investigators are looking into allegations that an officer at the Miami-Dade Police Department misused identification and passwords that provide access to consumer data maintained by ChoicePoint Inc. The company, based in Alpharetta, Ga., said in a posting Friday on its Internet site that the U.S. Secret Service was investigating the matter, which involved the data of 4,689 consumers."
Full story - Orlando Sentinel
Submitted by Anonymous, Sat Sep 17 10:48:17 EDT 2005



EPIC Advises Canadian Committee on Identity Theft
"EPIC advised the Canadian government to assume an aggressive posture against identity theft by requiring consumer reporting agencies to allow individuals to freeze their credit files, and to require heightened authentication to prevent impostors from obtaining credit."
Full story - EPIC
Submitted by Anonymous, Fri Sep 16 12:22:30 EDT 2005



Huge surge in ID theft using spyware
"A study of the top 2,000 known spyware threats, conducted by security firm Aladdin, has revealed that spying techniques are increasingly being used for ID theft. Spyware with a criminal intent, the most severe threat, was found to be doubling every month, according to the latest Aladdin eSafe CSRT study."
full story - Computing.co.uk
Submitted by Anonymous, Fri Sep 16 11:15:24 EDT 2005



Stolen UC-Berkeley laptop recovered
"A stolen laptop computer holding personal information of more than 98,000 California university students and applicants has been recovered, but it uncertain whether the information had been tapped, the University of California, Berkeley said Thursday."
Full story - CNN
Submitted by Anonymous, Thu Sep 15 17:16:07 EDT 2005



Case Of Identity Theft Lands Wrong Man In Jail
"Jerome Powell works for a government contractor and has no criminal record. He said he has had a security clearance ever since he was in the Navy. So how could he be the subject of an Aurora warrant for two felonies -- crimes he never committed?... Powell had lost his driver's license in July of 2003 - weeks before the theft- and had it replaced."
Full story - The Denver Channel
Submitted by Anonymous, Tue Sep 13 18:48:16 EDT 2005



Fort Carson soldiers' personal records stolen in break-in
"The Army said Monday that thieves stole computer equipment containing Social Security numbers and other personal records of a number of soldiers, some of whom are serving in Iraq."
Full story - gazette.com
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Sep 12 19:15:11 EDT 2005



Identity theft major threat for military members
"Military members make big targets for identity thieves. At all times they wear their dog tags and carry their military identification. Full name, blood type, social security number, rank, birth date, branch of service and a photo can be found on those two items. Not to mention that social security numbers could be found on almost every document from chow hall rosters to duty stations transfer orders."
Full story - Marines.mil
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Sep 12 16:59:24 EDT 2005



Computer engineer gets suspended jail term in Japan's first 'phishing' scam
"A Japanese courthanded down a suspended jail term to a 42-year-old computer engineer over an Internet scam using e-mails and fake websites to steal personal information, officials said."
Full story - technology.news.designerz
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Sep 12 14:03:09 EDT 2005



Fraud Reveals Workings of Internet Theft
"... One industry organization, the Anti-Phishing Working Group, estimated that thieves collectively launch more than 14,000 such schemes monthly and that about 5 percent of computer users respond to the fraudulent messages."
Full story - TBO
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Sep 12 09:19:37 EDT 2005



Student, faculty data on stolen computers
"Kent State University officials are alerting more than 100,000 students and professors that several computers stolen from campus may contain personal information about them. Names, Social Security numbers and student grades were on the computers."
Full story - Cleveland.com (reg. req.)
Submitted by Anonymous, Sat Sep 10 09:24:08 EDT 2005



ID theft ring proves difficult to stop
"Almost a month after Sunbelt Software of Clearwater discovered what it called an international identity theft ring, one Web site collecting the data has been shut down. But the operation is active... But the investigation is hampered by a variety of factors, Sites says, such as the use of stolen or hijacked Web sites. The legitimate owners have to be tracked down, and they have to give the okay to shutter the address."
Fulll story - St. Petersburg Times
Submitted by Anonymous, Fri Sep 9 05:13:23 EDT 2005



Katrina victims at risk for ID theft, experts say
"Birth certificates and other sensitive documents left among the waterlogged debris of Hurricane Katrina could put the storm's victims at heightened risk for identity theft, experts said on Thursday."
Full story - Reuters
Submitted by Anonymous, Thu Sep 8 17:17:03 EDT 2005



Shredders and ID cards help avoid ID theft, says Home Office
"Home Office Minister Andy Burnham yesterday launched a leaflet advising the British public on how to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, and what action to take if you have been a victim of the crime."
Full story - Out-Law.com
Submitted by Anonymous, Thu Sep 8 11:37:34 EDT 2005



Ex-Student Sentenced for Computer Hacking
"A former University of Texas at Austin student has been sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay more than $170,000 in restitution for hacking into the school's computer system and taking Social Security numbers and other personal information from tens of thousands of people."
Full story - TBO
Submitted by Anonymous, Wed Sep 7 13:58:05 EDT 2005



Re-establishing your identity
"Hurricane Katrina victims may find themselves with little more than the clothes on their back. Starting over is challenging especially without any documents proving your identity. It may be difficult getting your local banker to recognize you. In today's 5 tips we'll give you some ideas on how you can re-establish your own identity."
Full story - CNN
Submitted by Anonymous, Wed Sep 7 13:53:46 EDT 2005



BPO staff held for data theft
"A 26-year-old employee of a call centre, Amit Juneja, was detained by the police and remanded to judicial custody for charges of data theft from the call centre he was employed in. The accused was caught by the chief controller of the call centre while he was trying to download confidential information on his computer."
Full story - Times of India
Submitted by Anonymous, Wed Sep 7 01:25:18 EDT 2005



An ID-Theft Crackdown Gains Momentum
"Count Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), a feisty foe of Big Government, as a new believer in federal action to thwart identity theft."
Full story - BusinessWeek Online
Submitted by Anonymous, Tue Sep 6 09:20:28 EDT 2005



Yahoo hosting 'thousands' of phishing sites
"Spamhaus has accused Yahoo of failing in the fight against online fraud, and Microsoft has admitted there is room for improvement."
Full story - ZDNet
Submitted by Anonymous, Tue Sep 6 09:09:40 EDT 2005



It's often wise to refuse many who ask for Social Security number
"A Social Security number legally must be divulged in limited situations, but for many years, consumers readily rattled off their numbers to anyone who asked... As part of a federal law in the mid-1990s to improve collection of child support, states require Social Security numbers on license applications, whether it's for hunting or fishing, marriage or driving or professional licenses. As a result of the Patriot Act of 2001, banks must verify the identities of new customers and most do so by using Social Security numbers, said John Hall, a spokesman with the American Bankers Association."
Full story - Buffalo News
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Sep 5 13:20:46 EDT 2005



Simple precautions are starting to turn the tide on identity theft
"...Many experts, however, say this rash of disclosures probably didn't result from an unprecedented surge in identity thefts. Instead, it's because companies are now required to inform people whose information has been breached. Such thefts of data probably have been happening all along, the experts say - we just didn't know it. Some evidence indicates that cases of actual identity fraud, in which information is not only taken but also misused, have begun to slow."
Full story - East Valley Tribune
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Sep 5 13:11:17 EDT 2005



Identity Theft May Increase With New Technology
"In a damning blow to the UK government's love affair with identity cards, a British criminologist has warned that the new technology could actually increase, rather than solve, the problem of identity theft and fraud."
Full story - Digital Lifestyles
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Sep 5 12:49:57 EDT 2005



New tech may increase ID theft: expert
"New technology could increase rather than solve the problem of identity theft and fraud, a British criminologist warns. Identity cards and chip and pin technology for credit cards will force fraudsters to be more creative and are unlikely to alleviate the problem."
Full story - smh.com.au
Submitted by Anonymous, Sun Sep 4 19:47:05 EDT 2005



ID theft feeds local shredding industry
"...Growing public concern about identity theft is fueling growth in document-shredding... "This month we've gone from about three walk-ins a week before to about five a day now" The number of shredding companies in the United States that belong to the National Association for Information Destruction of Phoenix has doubled over the past two years, according to Robert Johnson, executive director. The association had 170 members three years ago; now it has 670."
Full story - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Submitted by Anonymous, Sun Sep 4 10:02:03 EDT 2005



Katrina Phishing Scams Begin
"t was bound to happen. On a hunch that we might see phishing scams popping up that take advantage of the terrible destruction that Hurricane Katrina has wrought on the Gulf Coast, I started looking up new Web address registrations for possible scam sites. In just a few minutes, I stumbled upon Katrinahelp.com, which claims to be a donation site for Katrina victims but was almost certainly constructed to steal Paypal usernames and passwords... If you plan to make a contribution to a Katrina relief fund, there are plenty of legitimate organizations online who you can feel confident are not scam artists."
Full story - Washington Post
Submitted by Anonymous, Wed Aug 31 16:43:58 EDT 2005



Circuit clerk warns of jury ID theft scam
"The Missouri Office of the States Court Administrator has warned circuit clerks around the state of a jury service identity-theft scam that has surfaced in the last few weeks in several states, Laclede County Circuit Clerk Wanda Tyre said Monday afternoon."
Full story - Lebanon Daily Record
Submitted by Anonymous, Wed Aug 31 12:44:38 EDT 2005



More charges for L.A. man in ChoicePoint ID theft
"A Nigerian man has been indicted for infiltrating the personal data firm ChoicePoint Inc. to fraudulently access financial records of consumers in a still-widening case that has spurred calls for tighter regulation of the consumer information business. Oluwatunji Oluwatosin, who had already been sentenced to 16 months in prison in the ChoicePoint case, now faces 22 more charges, Los Angeles prosecutors said on Tuesday."
Full story - Reuters
Submitted by Anonymous, Wed Aug 31 07:36:48 EDT 2005



Fake Yahoo! website running ID theft scam
"A website designed to look like an official Yahoo! service offering free games but most likely designed to facilitate ID theft has been discovered by internet security firm Trend Micro. The fake site, which was still live as recently as today, is being hosted on a Yahoo! Geocities account and asks users to log in with their Yahoo! user ID and password. Once the details are entered, the site displays a slogan "PAGINA HACKEADA - CUIDADO!", which means "hacked page - be careful" in Spanish."
Full story - Silicon.com
Submitted by Anonymous, Wed Aug 31 07:35:48 EDT 2005



Security breach at J.P. Morgan
"J.P. Morgan Private Bank has informed its wealthy clients that a computer containing their personal information was stolen from its Dallas offices this month... In a letter from Managing Director Elaine Agather, dated Aug. 25, clients were told that the computer contained personal and financial information about them, which may also be linked to other accounts they hold in joint names. The computer was stolen Aug. 8, the bank said."
Full story - Market Watch
Submitted by Anonymous, Tue Aug 30 20:41:17 EDT 2005



Better Business Bureau fields ID theft insurance questions
"With Arizona leading the country in identity theft crimes, the local chapter of the Better Business Bureau has been inundated with questions from people wondering if ID theft insurance is a good idea. BBB officials said that buying ID theft insurance is a personal decision and that if someone does make that choice, they should shop around for the best price and coverage."
Full story - Phoenix Business Journal
Submitted by Anonymous, Tue Aug 30 20:38:07 EDT 2005



Indictment Issued in Massive Identity Theft Case
"A 42-year-old North Hollywood man has been indicted on 15 additional counts of criminal activity associated with one of the largest identity theft cases filed in Los Angeles County. Olatunji Oluwatosin, who pleaded guilty in February to one count of identity theft, is alleged to have accessed credit reports, Social Security numbers and other personal information of thousands of customers of Alpharetta, Ga.-based ChoicePoint, which collects consumer data and public records."
Full story - L.A. Business Journal
Submitted by Anonymous, Tue Aug 30 20:35:31 EDT 2005



ID theft creates opportunities for data companies
"For its victims, identity theft means worry, headache and countless time spent restoring bad credit. But for some businesses, the collective fear that consumer identities may be stolen can mean opportunity."
Full story - Reuters
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Aug 29 08:13:17 EDT 2005



Internet Companies Take Aim At Phishers
"WITH CONSUMERS INCREASINGLY CONCERNED WITH preserving online privacy, Microsoft last week stepped up its public efforts to convince consumers that the Internet is safe. The company last week said its new browser will have a feature that can warn people about known identity-stealing "phishing" sites. Adware company WhenU last year started a similar program that involves serving consumers pop-ups that warn them when they have landed on a known phishing site."
Full story - MediaPostPublications
Submitted by Anonymous, Mon Aug 29 08:10:19 EDT 2005



AG's office business ID theft may be involved
"AUSTIN Texas has sued a company that's accused of trade deception by posing as a state agency -- and now there's a twist. A spokesman for Attorney General Greg Abbott late today announced the case may involve a stolen business identity."
Full story - KLTV
Submitted by Anonymous, Fri Aug 26 18:49:27 EDT 2005



Biometric data twist to trick hackers
"In such systems, known as biometrics, a computer generally reduces an image to a template of "minutia points", notable features such as a loop in a fingerprint or the position of an eye... But those mathematical templates, if stolen, can be dangerous. So researchers have developed ways to alter images in a defined, repeatable way, so that hackers who managed to crack a biometric database would be able to steal only the distortion, not the true, original face or fingerprint."
Full story - aljazeera.net
Submitted by Anonymous, Fri Aug 26 16:58:16 EDT 2005



Be wary of fake 'free' credit reports
"Federal law will make free credit reports available to Pennsylvania consumers each year beginning on Sept. 1. But, consumers should be wary of scams, said a state representative on Thursday. To avoid scams, Preston advised consumers to attain the free reports online at www.annualcreditreport.com. or by calling 877-322-8228."
Full story - Philadelphia Business Journal
Submitted by Anonymous, Fri Aug 26 11:49:43 EDT 2005



ID theft ring escapes shut down
"An ID theft ring that has hit thousands of people is proving hard to shut down. Discovered by US security fim Sunbelt Software, the scam used keyloggers to steal data stored by Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser."
Full story - BBC
Submitted by Anonymous, Fri Aug 26 11:16:03 EDT 2005



Spyware Worm Steals Usernames and Passwords From Fantasy Role-Playing Gamers, Sophos Reports
"Experts at SophosLabs, Sophos's global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centres, have reported that a new spyware worm, PrsKey-A, is stealing usernames, passwords and information from players of the massive multi-player internet role-playing game, "Priston Tale"... The worm lurks in the background waiting for users to enter either "Priston Tale" or the Yahoo mail system, and then begins capturing keypresses including usernames and passwords."
Full story - Press Zoom
Submitted by Anonymous, Thu Aug 25 19:53:34 EDT 2005



Who Is Using Your Checkbook? FDIC Warns About Qchex.com
"From the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse issued an alert today warning consumers to pay close attention to their checking accounts, which may be the latest target of identity thieves. Qchex.com, a San Diego-based company, allows its customers to create and print checks online without verifying the account holder's identity, according to its Terms of Use. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has warned banks to watch for checks created by Qchex as some have been associated with fraud."
Full story - PRC Release of Aug. 14
Submitted by Anonymous, Thu Aug 25 15:37:18 EDT 2005



Big Bait Sinks Alleged Phisher
"Jayson Lucas Harris allegedly picked the wrong fight. The 22-year-old Iowa man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of scamming computer users with fake e-mail notices from Microsoft Corp. Authorities said his scheme backfired when the software powerhouse contributed the legal legwork that led to his arrest."
Full story - L.A. Times (reg. req.)
Submitted by Anonymous, Thu Aug 25 15:25:56 EDT 2005



Poor print exposing Pin numbers
"The Pin numbers of millions of consumers are being put at risk by shoddy printing, warn security experts. Bright lights and easy to use software helped University of Cambridge researchers defeat tamper-proofing on letters telling people their new Pin."
Full story - BBC
Submitted by Anonymous, Thu Aug 25 14:08:07 EDT 2005



Microsoft to expand anti-phishing tool
"Microsoft Corp. will soon make available to the general public a tool for warning users about "phishing" scams that could lead to identity theft. Currently, such a tool comes only with the Internet Explorer 7 browser, which is available in tests only to a select group of developers."
Full story - USA Today
Submitted by Anonymous, Thu Aug 25 08:56:08 EDT 2005



Tens of thousands hit by ID theft ring
"Security firm has warned that a notorious identity theft operation is still running, having stolen a huge amount of credit card and banking details. An estimated 27,000 people have been affected by an identity theft ring that was discovered earlier this month, according to Sunbelt Software, the security firm that uncovered the operation."
Full story - ZD Net
Submitted by Anonymous, Wed Aug 24 16:37:36 EDT 2005



The ID theft protection racket
"Are you terrified about identity theft yet? If not, consider this: It could get you killed. At least that's what John Gardner, a smooth-talking lawyer and spokesman for a company called Pre-Paid Legal Services, would have you believe."
Full story - CNN
Submitted by Anonymous, Tue Aug 23 16:03:09 EDT 2005



ID theft spyware scam uncovered
"Security firm Sunbelt Software said it stumbled across a US-based server storing megabytes of data stolen from compromised computers while researching spyware infections. The server held passwords for online accounts from 50 banks, Ebay and Paypal logins, hundreds of credit card numbers and reams of personal data."
Full story - BBC
Submitted by Anonymous, Tue Aug 23 15:39:39 EDT 2005








Other resources on THEFT OF PERSONAL DATA:
  • Social Security Administration on Identity Theft
  • Identity Theft and Protecting Your Credit
  • Identity Theft Resource Center
  • FTC Web Site on Fraud Cases
  • Consumer Resources from the FTC
  • Anti-Phishing.org
  • Bank Safe Online (UK)




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