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A total of $54,500 in fraudulent withdrawals were attempted, with $43,000 actually withdrawn from the accounts of the 13 victims.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.

Former morgage broker sentenced 4 yrs for Identity Theft

Another former mortgage broker, has been sentenced to 4 years of prison time for identity theft charges. A woman in Lee’s Summit, used the identities of at least 3 people to get mortgages in their names.

• Story link from kansascity.com, posted on July 15, 2008 – http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/706522.html

Kimberly M. Davis, 43, pleaded guilty in December, admitting that she used the identity information for three people, without their permission, to buy two homes in Lee’s Summit. She worked as a mortgage broker in Liberty and Gladstone from late 2003 through January 2005.

22yr. old Philadelphia woman pleads guilty to Identity Theft

This 22 year old Philadelphia woman, and her boyfriend, funded trips, fancy dinners and expensive salon visits by stealing identities of others.  She acknowledge guilt to the charges and faces up to 6 years in prison.

• Original story from Associate Press, link from msnbc.com posted on July 14, 2008 –  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25679084/

A 22-year-old woman will probably face six years in prison after admitting Monday that she and her boyfriend pulled off a brazen identity-theft scheme.

Travel photos show Jocelyn Kirsch and ex-beau Edward Anderton, a onetime Ivy League swimmer, posing in matching red swimsuits by a luxury hotel pool and kissing near the Eiffel Tower. But in court Monday, the petite Kirsch sported a rumpled green prison uniform as she pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and other federal crimes.

Students’ Social Security #’s and personal data posted on internet

The entire 2nd Grade, as well as any student that took the ACT last year in Williamson County, TN has had their personal data posted on the Internet. It was a ‘project’ of a graduate student for the local college, where he placed the data on a portable flash drive, and posted it to the Internet.

Over 10,000 students were affected, half of them being children.

• Link from local news station http://www.wsmv.com/, updated on July 11, 2008 – http://www.wsmv.com/news/16843341/detail.html
• Video of story from same news station – http://www.wsmv.com/video/16858116/

Social Security numbers and other personal information were posted on the Internet. Students possibly affected to about 5,000 children.

 A school representative said that all second-graders were affected as well as anyone who took the ACT test last year.

 The representative said that another 10,000 students had their names and test scores placed on the Internet.

800 to 900 Military Soldiers’ personal data stolen

From Fort Lewis, Washington, a laptop was stolen that contained personal information of 900 military personnel. The report states that there was “not any classified or top-secret military information”, just a 500 GB removable hard drive that had the personal information of hundreds of people!

• Link obtained from www.theolympian.com, posted on July 11, 2008 – http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/503917.html

A laptop computer that was reported stolen from an Army employee’s truck last week contained the personal information of about 800-900 Fort Lewis soldiers, military and police officials said.

An Army employee told Lacey police he left the laptop and a 500-gigabyte removable hard drive on the seat of his Dodge truck, which was parked unlocked in front of his house overnight July 3-4.

Colorado DMV puts motorists at risk for Identity Theft

We have just learned that the DMV in Colorado, has put 3.4 million people at risk for Identity Theft! This great state department has been sending unencrypted information on the Internet, and not limited who has access to the information.

• Original link and story denverpost.com, posted on July 4, 2008 – http://origin.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_9822063

The Division of Motor Vehicles put 3.4 million Coloradans at risk of identity theft due to flaws in the way driver’s-license information is handled, lawmakers learned.

The DMV regularly sends large batches of personal information over the Internet without encryption and has failed to properly limit access to its database, according to a recent audit. At one point, 33 former DMV employees could access names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers — some workers more than a year after their departure.

Traffic stop leads to Identity Theft charges

In Wilmington, Delaware, a traffic stop from a speeding motorist led to the uncovering of an Identity Theft ring. By the way, the person that was stopped, is most likely here in the U.S. illegally. Yeah, he was the one that had the identity information from multiple people!

• Link from delawareonline.com, posted on July 9, 2008 – http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080709/NEWS01/807090359

After pulling over an SUV for having an obscured license plate and speeding, state troopers discovered what looked like an identity theft kit. The kit included a ledger with detailed personal information for 35 individuals…

…including dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, account numbers and addresses.