Employees at Charter told data was stolen

The cable provider company, Charter Communications, is telling 9,000 current and former employees that their personal information was involved in a security breach that occurred when a number of laptops were stolen last month.

• Story link from Worcester, Mass. on-line newspaper, telegram.com, posted on Aug. 13, 2008 - http://www.telegram.com/article/20080813/NEWS/808130324/1002

Cable television operator Charter Communications Inc. is alerting employees, including some in Massachusetts, that their personal information was involved in a security breach that occurred when a number of laptop computers were stolen last month from a Charter media facility in Greenville, S.C.

The personal information consisted of names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. Mr. Richmond declined to say how the laptops were used, why they contained the information and whether the records were encrypted.

In the process of identifying the information contained on the laptops, we discovered the personal information of about 9,000 current and former employees.

Some stores not telling customers about credit card breaches

The Dept. of Justice broke up the largest credit card hacking ring from retail stores all over the U.S. Over 40 million credit cards from nine retailers. However, only four-out-of-nine actually informed customers that their information had been compromised.

The other stores say they never told customers because they never confirmed data were stolen from them.

• Story link from Wall Street Journal on-line, posted on Aug. 11, 2008 - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121842142123128889.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Most states mandate that companies tell their customers when their credit-card data is stolen from the stores. The laws are designed to give consumers a chance to protect themselves against fraud or identity theft.

But when federal prosecutors disclosed last week that computer hackers swiped more than 40 million credit-card numbers from nine retailers in the biggest such heist ever, it was the first time that many shoppers had heard about it.

That’s because only four of the chains clearly alerted their customers to breaches.

Alaska Air Group reports credit-card misuse

If you bought a plane ticket from Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air with your credit card, then your card might have been misused. About 1,500 people’s information has been reported that a call-center employee diverted some payments to a personal account.

• Reported from Seattle Times newpaper online busniess headlines, posted on Aug 7, 2008 - http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008097068_bizbriefs07.html

About 1,500 people who bought tickets from Alaska or Horizon airlines have been notified their credit cards were misused.

Alaska Air Group said a call-center employee diverted some payments to a personal account.

The Seattle-based parent company for the airlines said it notified police and is cooperating with the investigation.

Alaska Air said customers should review their credit-card statements for any unauthorized transactions.

More Hospital Employees looking at patients records

Earlier this year, there was news of some medical workers looking at the medical records of celebrities. UCLA Medical Center warned it’s employees that they would be cracking down on this unauthorized access, however 127 UCLA workers have been implicated recently.

• Story link from http://www.latimes.com/, posted on Aug 5, 2008 - http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-health5-2008aug05,0,3890869,full.story

…twice as many medical center employees as had previously been reported peeked at confidential medical records at UCLA. Nearly 60 additional employees gained improper access to records between January 2004 and June 2006, bringing the total number of workers implicated in the growing scandal to 127.

…one employee — a former administrative specialist — looked at the records of 939 patients “without any legitimate reason”. She also looked at other personal information, including Social Security numbers, the state now says.

Data on 90,000 people stolen, with Anheuser-Busch laptops

Anheuser-Busch has reported that laptops containing data on, “more than 90,000 people nationwide“, have been stolen. The laptops had information on current and former employees, along with over 3,000 people that were involved in assistance programs.

Who carries that information around on a laptop? I wonder if the laptops were stolen from a bar?

• Original story from Associate Press, link is from www.boston.com, posted on Aug 5, 2008 - http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2008/08/05/data_on_90000_stolen_with_laptops/

More than 90,000 people nationwide have been affected by the theft of laptops with personal information about current and former employees of Anheuser-Busch Inc.

In all, residents in at least six states are involved.

The missing data included Social Security numbers, addresses, dates of birth, and other information, according to the Florida letter, which was given to The Associated Press by the Florida attorney general’s office.

HR employee arrested on Identity Theft

The assistant human resources managerat American Greetings in KY has been arrested with charges of ID Theft. He apparently took the social security numbers and other personal information of employees, and tried applied for loans using fake Driver’s License’s, Social Security Cards and Credit Cards of other employees.

•  Story link from local news media, www.kystandard.com, posted on Aug 1, 2008 - http://www.kystandard.com/cgi-bin/storyviewnew.cgi?091+News.200881-1852-091-091038.Full+News

A human resources employee at American Greetings was arrested Monday after attempting to get a loan with another employee’s identification.

William David Kaelin, 36, Louisville, allegedly entered National City Bank, Monday to apply for a loan. He completed and signed loan papers for $10,000 using the name and Social Security number of an American Greetings employee.

Kaelin gave a confession statement referencing the use of past and present American Greetings employees’ information to obtain loans for money via the Internet.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Sends Personal Information To Wrong Addresses

The largest health insurance provider in Georgia has sent mail to the wrong addresses, possibly affecting over 200,000 people to identity theft.

You would think a health insurance agency would have better practices in place to protect individuals’ information.

• Story reported by the Associate Press, link from local news station www.wsbtv.com, posted on July 29, 2008 - http://www.wsbtv.com/news/17025491/detail.html

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that the letters were sent last week by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia. They include the patients’ name and ID number, the name of the medical service provider and the amounts charged and owed.

A company spokeswoman said “a small percentage” of the letters also contained Social Security numbers.

Former Police Officer pleads guilty of Identity Theft

A former Philadelphia Police Officer admitted to illegally using another person’s identity to attempt to purchase a vehicle.

Instead of serving and protecting individuals, this officer  decided to take advantage of one.

• Story link from TheReporterOnline.com, posted on July 28, 2008 - http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=19874472&BRD=2275&PAG=461&dept_id=635541&rfi=8

Rufus Harley, 51, of [...], Philadelphia, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to felony charges of forgery and identity theft in connection with a February 2007 incident at the Sport Chrysler dealership in West Norriton.

Prosecutors alleged Harley used the Social Security number of an Erie woman to provide false information on the dealership’s credit application when he attempted to purchase a 2006 Chrysler 300 vehicle valued at $22,223 on Feb. 6, 2007.

Bank Teller guilty of Idenity Theft

A former bank teller at a Wachovia Bank, has pleaded guilty to “charges of identity theft and unlawful use of a computer”.  He accessed customer’s accounts and helped others withdraw over $40,000.

I will continue to say this - “Your identity is not safe anywhere…..”

• Story link from thereporteronline.com, posted on July 23, 2008 - http://www.thereporteronline.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19866360&BRD=2275&PAG=461&dept_id=466404&rfi=6

A former teller at the Lafayette Hill branch of the Wachovia Bank has admitted his involvement in an identity theft ring that stole $43,000 from bank customers accounts.

A total of $54,500 in fraudulent withdrawals were attempted, with $43,000 actually withdrawn from the accounts of the 13 victims. Four of the victims had accounts from which two illegal withdrawals were made.

Doctor’s office employee steals patient’s social security numbers

An employee of a local doctor’s office in Louisville, KY has been charged with stealing the social security number’s of patients, and opening credit cards in their names.

Your identity is not safe anywhere….

• Story link from local news station http://www.whas11.com/, posted on July 22, 2008 - http://www.whas11.com/news/local/stories/whas11_topstory_080722_medical_theft.7f8b533d.html
• Video link of story - http://www.whas11.com/video/whas11video-index.html?nvid=265786&shu=1

It’s proof that identify theft can strike at the places where you should feel most safe. Erika Bradford’s facing charges of ID theft after allegedly stealing patient’s social security numbers at the doctor’s office where she worked. Bradford then opened credit cards in the victim’s names.