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.

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.

Data Breaches up 69% in 2008

It only the first half of 2008, but compared to the same period in 2007, there is a 69 percent increasein data breaches. Every type of business categories (health care, banks, education, construction, government and military) reported increases!

• Link from washingtonpost.com, posted on July 1, 2008 – http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/06/data_breach_reports_up_69_perc_1.html

The Identity Theft Resource Center in San Diego tracked 342 data breach reports from Jan. 1 to June 27. More than one-third of the reports came from businesses, a 27 percent increase over business breaches for all of 2007.

Social Security numbers on Medicare cards used by millions of Americans

Do you remember how Diver Licenses and Insurance cards used to have everyone’s Social Security numbers on them? Then the laws were changed to secure personal information. However, we have returned that that day again. Social Security Numbers are being used on Governmenet Issued Medicare Cards used by millions of Americans!

• Original Link from NY Times on-line, posted on June 22, 2008 – http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/washington/22medicare.html?ex=1371873600&en=5b12338439573345&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Agency Sees Theft Risk for ID Card in Medicare – By ROBERT PEAR

Social Security officials are calling for immediate action to remove Social Security numbers from the Medicare cards used by millions of Americans.

Social Security officials, concerned about the risk of identity theft, are calling for immediate action to remove Social Security numbers from the Medicare cards used by millions of Americans.

But Medicare officials have resisted the proposal, saying it would be costly and impractical.

Is the doctor’s office stealing your identity?

Here is an article from amednews.com

• Medical identity theft is often an “inside job” on March 3, 2008 – http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/03/03/prsc0303.htm

When physicians look to protect their patients from medical identity theft, they may want to start by examining their office staff.

That’s because, while patients may try to use another person’s identity fraudulently to receive medical care, many thefts happen when a hospital, clinic or practice employee sells patient information to organized crime or gang leaders, experts said. Then the information is used to conduct fake billing or obtain goods such as wheelchairs and prescription drugs to sell on the black market, said Pam Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum, a nonprofit research and consumer education organization.

The forum is conducting its second study of medical identity theft, and the findings will be released later this year. In its first study, issued in 2006, the organization reported that 250,000 to 500,000 people had experienced this form of identity theft.

Protect Yourself from Bogus Home Buyers

Are you selling a home? People might say they want to buy your home, but have criminal intentions instead. Be sure to protect yourself and your personal belongings when showing a home. That way you, your family, and your identity are safe.

• Story from Q13 Fox News in Seattle – http://q13.trb.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=2455780

“Bogus Home Buyer Cons Her Way Into North Seattle Home. Victim Says Crook Stole Her Wallet.”

The 76 year old victim told Seattle Police the home buyer stole her wallet, while she went to get her a for sale pamphlet from the home’s dining room table.”

Car Salesman Charged With Stealing Customers’ Identities

Omaha, NE – The car salesman was fired, but that was after he was caught stealing multiple customer’s identities. The report says he has been workinging there for over 5 years, and been stealing identities for the past 3 years. You know he stole information from mulitple customer’s, where are they at?

• Link from KETV.com in Omaha, NE – April 29, 2008 – http://www.ketv.com/news/16064885/detail.html
• Video link from same site – http://www.ketv.com/video/16080971/