Social Security Number The Key To Identity Theft

Grok Headline matches for Social Security Number The Key To Identity Theft

Identity Theft and Social Networks

Identity Theft and Social Networks 01/02/2004 06:09 PM
scubacuda writes "This Security Focus article looks at the lack of security social network sites have, particularly their lack of SSL logins, which means a ...

Security Provider Jailed for Identity
Theft (Reuters)

Security Provider Jailed for Identity
Theft (Reuters) 05/19/2004 10:40 AM
Reuters - A Connecticut man who installed home security systems has been sentenced to prison for using a client's personal information to finance a more than $200,000 spending spree, federal prosecutors said.

Can't Blame The Messenger For Identity
Theft Security Problems

Can't Blame The Messenger For Identity
Theft Security Problems 03/31/2005 04:50 PM
With all of the various data security holes reported over the past few weeks, one aspect that didn't get much coverage was how some of them were discovered. The guy who found out that an online payroll company was exposing plenty of personal data has written up his experience claiming that PayMaxx threatened to sue him for pointing out the flaw. They said it was a violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act -- even though he was just trying to protect his own and others' content. With such an experience behind him, he's pointing out that any real attempt to stop identity theft needs to explicitly allow "white hat" hacking. This way, those who are simply trying to help companies find the security flaws in their system are protected. It's basically a question of whether or not the messenger should be blamed. Still, many will point out that there's a fine line between good Samaritan hacking and malicious hacking -- and some worry that malicious hackers will start claiming good intentions when they're caught. However, if the boundaries are made clear, this shouldn't be a huge problem.

Identity theft and information security:
network problems and networked solutions

Identity theft and information security:
network problems and networked solutions 04/14/2005 09:51 PM
Information Week has a pair of articles up dealing with infosec matters, both of which describe groups pooling their efforts and coordinating their activities to attack infosec problems.

Security experts debate digital ID
technology in fight against identity
theft

Security experts debate digital ID
technology in fight against identity
theft 03/22/2005 03:23 PM
NewsTarget Mar 22 2005 9:21AM GMT

Data theft fallout: US may ban sale of
Social Security numbers

Data theft fallout: US may ban sale of
Social Security numbers 03/17/2005 02:53 AM
At congressional hearings today, the companies involved in a spate of recent consumer data thefts were apologetic. Congress didn't appear impressed.

Massive Credit Card Security Breach Puts
40 Million Consumers at Risk for
Identity Theft – Tips to Protect
Yourself from Financial Expert

Massive Credit Card Security Breach Puts
40 Million Consumers at Risk for
Identity Theft – Tips to Protect
Yourself from Financial Expert 06/22/2005 01:51 AM
Master Card and Visa security breaches are becoming almost common. Last week’s announcement of hackers accessing records from CardSystems Solutions Inc. means up to 40 million credit card holders may be at risk of identity theft. Financial Planning Expert Jim Trippon CPA offers practical pro-active ideas to protect your financial privacy. [PRWEB Jun 19, 2005]

NY AG Wants Do Not Identity Theft Law

NY AG Wants Do Not Identity Theft Law 04/18/2005 02:28 PM
New York's Attorney General (and gubernatorial candidate) Eliot Spitzer seems to show up wherever there's an issue that's getting a lot of press. He took on Wall Street companies, spammers and insurance scammers among many others. So, is it really any surprise that he's now decided to take on identity theft? Of course, there already are laws against identity theft and fraud. While they could be made better, it's not clear that's what's happening here. In fact, one of the proposed laws speaks directly to all of those recent data leaks from ChoicePoint, LexisNexis and others. It would create a "Do Not Share" list that people could sign up for, forbidding any of these companies to share your data. While this might sound good on its face, it seems to be based on the idea that there really isn't a good reason for companies to ever share your data -- which isn't quite true. Many of the conveniences we have these days is because of the data that's available. Granted, in plenty of cases it may have gone too far, and these companies have done a dreadful job -- but a full stop "do not share" list (which many people would quickly sign up for without realizing the impact) could greatly inconvenience many people. A much more reasonable solution isn't to ban all sharing of information, but to give people more control and visibility into (1) what information companies have about them and (2) how it's being used. That way, individuals can work to prevent the misuses, while still getting the benefits.

Identity Theft - The Real Cause

Identity Theft - The Real Cause 05/24/2004 05:38 PM

Is identity theft inevitable?

Is identity theft inevitable? 04/01/2005 11:21 AM

Plenty Of Identity Theft Going Around

Plenty Of Identity Theft Going Around 01/22/2004 02:06 PM
The FTC has put out their list of what people were complaining to them about, and it seems that identity theft tops the list for the fourth straight year - with 42% of complaints concerning the crime (up from 40% the year before). What's most interesting to me about this, though, is that despite all this identity theft, we still haven't done much to prevent it. It still seems like most lawmakers and authorities don't see it as a serious problem.

Identity Theft Insurance

Identity Theft Insurance 03/22/2005 04:32 PM

Allstate launches identity theft coverage in Tennessee: Allstate insurance has started offering identity-theft insurance as a rider to homeowners' policies.

Allstate's new identity theft expenses coverage is available for Allstate homeowners and renters in Tennessee for approximately $30 a year. It provides customers access to professional identity restoration assistance. If a customer chooses to do the work on their own, Allstate's policy provides up to $25,000 in reimbursement coverage for expenses incurred to restore their identity, including attorney fees, loan reapplication fees, credit report fees, and lost wages.

Along with spam, identify theft is another parasite propeled by the Net. Funny how these things open up entire revenue streams of their own. For every problem, there is a solution...and someone who will sell it to you.

I wonder if they could increate the premium based on Net usage? Do they Google for you before they write the policy?

Types of Identity Theft

Types of Identity Theft 12/30/2004 12:05 PM
Learn what to look out for, and protect yourself!

You Can Be Anyone You Want: Identity
Theft Is Easy

You Can Be Anyone You Want: Identity
Theft Is Easy 09/02/2004 05:50 PM
MSNBC, which has been covering identity theft stories for quite some time, is now running a very long excerpt from a book about identity theft called < i>Your Evil Twin : Behind the Identity Theft Epidemic. It goes over the stories of a few of the biggest identity theft criminals around, showing just how they impersonated the rich and famous to take their money. The scary part, of course, was just how easy it was -- and how unsophisticated the scams really were. While the press hyped up the capture of one of the criminals, in looking at the details, it becomes clear that the guy made a lot of silly mistakes (such as using the same free email account for a variety of his scams -- often within the same bank). The real culprit is the system by which the credit card companies and the credit bureaus run their businesses. As it stands, they have very little incentive to actually secure the system. Instead, they let it the crimes occur, and let everyone else deal with the mess.

BOFH: Identity theft

BOFH: Identity theft 03/24/2005 08:28 AM
Episode 11 Name, number, biometric

Avoid Identity Theft

Avoid Identity Theft 07/27/2004 09:21 AM
A few changes in behavior can spare you a world of trouble.

Identity Theft And Meth

Identity Theft And Meth 06/08/2004 10:50 AM
USA Today is running an AP article talking about how law enforcement is working on bet ter ways to combat identity theft, where someone mentions that all of those involved with identity theft also are involved with methamphetamine. That was certainly true of the profile of an identity theft ring we wrote about last year, but it seems like focusing on that aspect shouldn't be useful for very long. With the rate at which identity theft crime is growing, it seems likely that it, too, will start to get taken over by organized crime groups - and will become increasingly sophisticated. In other words, if you thought identity theft was bad now, it's only going to get worse. At what point will credit agencies and financial institutions realize that they need to take the issue of identity theft more seriously?

Mitigating identity theft

Mitigating identity theft 04/14/2005 06:14 AM
Security expert Bruce Schneier says solutions being proposed in Congress won't stem a worrying trend.

Offshored Identity Theft

Offshored Identity Theft 04/12/2005 11:10 AM

Identity Theft on the Rise

Identity Theft on the Rise 01/23/2004 03:54 AM
Complaints are up 45% from the previous year to the FTC over Identity Theft. The problem continues to grow with...

Most identity theft cases never get
resolved

Most identity theft cases never get
resolved 06/22/2005 02:29 AM

Liberty Aims to Contain Identity Theft

Liberty Aims to Contain Identity Theft 06/17/2005 03:18 PM
The federated identity group forms a task force to thwart fraudsters who steal Web users information.

UK wide open to identity theft

UK wide open to identity theft 03/25/2005 04:56 PM

Is A Spoofed Email Identity Theft?

Is A Spoofed Email Identity Theft? 06/01/2004 10:55 AM
There are a ton of currently hazy legal issues being raised by a case heading to the Maine Supreme Court concerning one family's attempt to find out who sent out an unflattering email about them to neighbors - using a fake email address. The email address in question was made to look as though it were from Ron Fitch (the person now suing to find out who sent the email), though it used a fake email address, and not Fitch's real email address. The email included a cartoon making fun of Fitch and his family for their ongoing efforts to change the small island they live on. The family is now suing to try to find out the identity of who sent out the email. So, there are a variety of legal questions that need to be answered - and not all of them are that clear. First, is sending out an email that could possibly (but not necessarily) be interpreted as being from someone else be considered "identity theft" of that person, as Fitch is claiming? Next, is sending out an unflattering cartoon of your neighbor over email protected free speech - such as satire? Finally, should an ISP be forced to reveal the identity of an email sender just because someone doesn't like the content of the message - or does the sender have a right to privacy? The answers to the first two questions probably impact the last one - though, the lawyers are likely to argue with that. The last question, if you listen to the entertainment industry these days, is already answered - but that might get a little murkier when people realize that just about anyone can try to get the identity of anyone else sending emails. It's easy to say that the right to privacy online ends when you break the law, but it's not always such a clear cut case.

The growing problem of identity theft

The growing problem of identity theft 12/04/2003 06:06 AM
Europe catching up with USA

Identity Theft Victim Is Prosecutor (AP)

Identity Theft Victim Is Prosecutor (AP) 06/25/2004 07:10 AM
AP - If you're going to steal someone's identity to draw from their bank account, you might as well go for someone with a good job.

FTC's Identity Theft Help Site

FTC's Identity Theft Help Site 03/17/2005 03:49 AM
The recently updated site describes what steps to take if you are a victim of identity theft, your legal rights, how to handle specific problems you may encounter on the way to clearing your name, and what to watch for in the future.

Identity theft isn't always online crime

Identity theft isn't always online crime 12/19/2004 03:54 PM
Indystar.com - Sun Dec 19, 08:44 am GMT

Congress takes on identity theft

Congress takes on identity theft 04/15/2005 04:52 AM
Congress proposes legislation aimed at forcing companies to inform customers when their personal data is compromise. It's a good start, but it doesn't go far enough.

New Law Gets Tough on Identity Theft
(Reuters)

New Law Gets Tough on Identity Theft
(Reuters) 07/15/2004 01:26 PM
Reuters - President Bush signed legislation on Thursday that toughens penalties against identity theft, a problem that federal officials estimate cost U.S. consumers and businesses over $50 billion last year.

Surf and turf and identity theft

Surf and turf and identity theft 04/06/2005 06:23 PM
globetechnology.com Apr 6 2005 9:57PM GMT

Avoid "Brokerage Identity Theft"

Avoid "Brokerage Identity Theft" 02/11/2004 08:03 AM
Identity theft doesn't just happen to individuals. Even brokerages can be victims.

Computer tech in $72m identity theft

Computer tech in $72m identity theft 09/14/2004 04:28 PM
The Australian Sep 14 2004 8:10PM GMT

Identity Theft Resources Center

Identity Theft Resources Center 05/10/2004 05:49 AM
Identity Theft Resources Center
http://www.idtheftcent er.org/local.shtml

Identity Theft Resources Center is a private non-profit site which provides information and resources for "consumers, victims, law enforcement, the business and financial sectors, legislators, media and governmental agencies" concerning the crime of identity theft. Information available includes forms and procedures for victims, prevention tips, laws and publications. This has been added to Internet Hoaxes Subject Tracer Information Blog.

Identity Theft Victim Gets Last Laugh

Identity Theft Victim Gets Last Laugh 03/25/2005 09:35 PM

Internet Identity Theft Complaints
Climbing

Internet Identity Theft Complaints
Climbing 01/22/2004 05:05 PM
Reports of Internet-related fraud now account for more than half the consumer complaints filed with the Federal Trade Commission, the agency said Thursday.

FTC says identity theft, online fraud on
the rise

FTC says identity theft, online fraud on
the rise 01/22/2004 06:20 PM
The number of cases of identity theft -- the practice of running up bills or committing crimes in someone else's name -- was up 33% from 2002, according to an FTC report released today.

Guilty plea in $50 million identity
theft

Guilty plea in $50 million identity
theft 09/15/2004 07:16 AM

Congress Renews Interest in Identity
Theft (AP)

Congress Renews Interest in Identity
Theft (AP) 04/15/2005 09:27 AM
AP - Responding to outrage from consumers whose personal information has been stolen from companies, Congress is primed to pass new laws to try to prevent break-ins and to require businesses to confess to customers when private data is taken.
Grok Description matches for Social Security Number The Key To Identity Theft
GrokA matches for Social Security Number The Key To Identity Theft

U.S. May Restrict Sale of Social
Security Numbers (Reuters)

U.S. May Restrict Sale of Social
Security Numbers (Reuters) 03/17/2005 04:07 AM
Reuters - Seeking to combat rampant identity theft, U.S. lawmakers said on Thursday they may clamp new restrictions on companies that amass and sell social security numbers and other personal information.

Hard drive with 23,000 Social Security
numbers disappears

Hard drive with 23,000 Social Security
numbers disappears 09/03/2004 06:30 PM
California State University officials believe the data was inadvertently thrown away, triggering a new state law requiring all people whose information was stolen to be notified.

Lost Hard Drive Contains 23,000 Social
Security Numbers

Lost Hard Drive Contains 23,000 Social
Security Numbers 09/05/2004 03:12 PM

Students, faculty, and staff at seven campuses of the California State University (CSU) system are at risk for identity theft after a hardware technician improperly disposed of a computer hard drive with unencrypted database tables that included Social Security numbers and other personal details. The CSU is required, under California law, to notify all affected parties.

The law, which went into effect last year, requires notification whenever personal data, such as Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers or credit card numbers (with identification numbers) have been accessed without authority.

The university system's hard drive has been missing since Friday, June 25th. The technician left the drive laying on a worktable after upgrading the computer from which it came. In a rush to start the weekend, the drive wasn't properly secured, and come Monday, there was no sign of it. The drive was most likely picked up by the evening cleaning crew; however, the results of a police investigation was inconclusive.

Dave's Opinion
Hard disks, like portable media, must be completely destroyed before being discarded. Using a security data deletion (wiping ) program such one that comes with the PGP data security program, would have prevented the data being recovered, even if the drive were reused.

Call for Comments
What do you think? Leave your comments below.

College using Social Security numbers as
default passwords now suffers hack

College using Social Security numbers as
default passwords now suffers hack 06/06/2005 12:06 AM

About that Social Security plan...

About that Social Security plan... 04/07/2005 10:45 PM
There've been a number of reasons in recent weeks to think that President Bush's plan is in serious trouble. Today, there's another.

Retirement's First Leg: Social Security

Retirement's First Leg: Social Security 07/01/2004 01:50 PM
How much will you get for the thousands you've given to Social Security?

The coming war over Social Security

The coming war over Social Security 01/05/2005 11:31 AM
Fortunately, it looks like the Democratic Party is starting to circle the wagons and get serious about battling the Bush administration's plan to eviscerate Social Security in the name of a mythological crisis, and in the service of the private investment industry. Social Security may well be in need of reform, but as Ronald Brownstein reports in the L.A. Times, some key Dems are coming to their senses about making private investment accounts a fundamental part of it.

Why You Hate, and Like, Social Security

Why You Hate, and Like, Social Security 09/16/2004 03:28 PM
Is Social Security an important part of civilized society, or just another form of welfare?

A Big Push On Social Security
(washingtonpost.com)

A Big Push On Social Security
(washingtonpost.com) 01/01/2005 04:24 PM
washingtonpost.com - President Bush's political allies are raising millions of dollars for an election-style campaign to promote private Social Security accounts, as Democrats and Republicans prepare for what they predict will be the most expensive and extensive public policy debate since the 1993 fight over the Clinton administration's failed health care plan.

Social Security Said to Go Broke in 2041
(AP)

Social Security Said to Go Broke in 2041
(AP) 03/23/2005 07:50 PM
AP - Social Security will begin paying out more in benefits than it receives in taxes in 2017, twelve years from now and a year earlier than previously estimated, trustees said Wednesday in a forecast adding fuel to the debate over changes President Bush wants.

The Motivation Behind Social Security
Reform

The Motivation Behind Social Security
Reform 02/05/2005 09:47 PM
Tonight's State of the Union address by the president focused in part on Social Security. Many are asking why the sudden interest in a system that seems to be working just fine. Isn't the president taking big political risks for nothing by doing this? In fact there are serious problems that are compelling the administration to take immediate action on Social Security funding.

Good-Will Is Low for Social Security
Talks

Good-Will Is Low for Social Security
Talks 12/19/2004 02:57 PM
The parties have not been this far apart ideologically on Capitol Hill for decades, some analysts say, which could make an overhaul of Social Security hard to achieve.

Fixing the Social Security Mess

Fixing the Social Security Mess 06/17/2004 08:35 AM

Social Security and Corporate America

Social Security and Corporate America 04/11/2005 05:59 AM

washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2005_04/006069.php
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Does Social Security shortchange blacks?

Does Social Security shortchange blacks? 02/05/2005 09:14 PM
Bush says it does -- but the facts show that he's dealing this race card off the bottom of the deck.

Social Security Fight Like Election (AP)

Social Security Fight Like Election (AP) 04/02/2005 08:02 PM
AP - Just five months after the presidential election, Democratic lawmakers are traveling throughout the country to campaign anew against President Bush and his agenda.

Baby Boomers And Social Security

Baby Boomers And Social Security 03/23/2005 10:38 PM
“NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told Congress that the mounting financial pressure of a wave of retiring baby boomers is so great that cuts in future government retirement benefits are all but inevitable.” Well, that’s just great. I’m on the wazoo end of being a baby boomer, just barely qualifying. I know, baby boomers are defined as being the population explosion caused by the ending of WWII, which apparently caused massive…

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Bush, race and Social Security

Bush, race and Social Security 03/14/2005 06:14 PM
The president suggests that privatization opponents think a "certain race" lacks the capacity to invest.

The Technology Behind the Social
Security Debate

The Technology Behind the Social
Security Debate 04/06/2005 09:56 AM
Extreme Tech Apr 6 2005 1:42PM GMT

Social Security Better Off Than
Forecast, Report Says

Social Security Better Off Than
Forecast, Report Says 06/15/2004 10:10 AM
The Congressional Budget Office said Monday that the outlook for the Social Security program was less dire than the Bush administration had projected.

A homerun for privatizing Social
Security?

A homerun for privatizing Social
Security? 04/04/2005 09:55 PM
Tommy Lasorda has come out of retirement to go to bat for President Bush's humdinger of a plan.

ITunes Undermines Social Security

ITunes Undermines Social Security 11/12/2003 01:22 PM
Although perusing other folks' digital music libraries using iTunes can broaden musical horizons, there can be drawbacks. Like being judged for your taste in music. By Leander Kahney.

Battle Ahead Over Social Security Report
(AP)

Battle Ahead Over Social Security Report
(AP) 03/23/2005 04:45 AM
AP - Both sides in the pitched battle over Social Security are getting ready to argue over a whole new set of numbers — the annual assessment of when Social Security and Medicare will go broke.

Trustees: Social Security Broke in 2041
(AP)

Trustees: Social Security Broke in 2041
(AP) 03/23/2005 12:54 PM
AP - The trust fund for Social Security will go broke in 2041 — a year earlier than previously estimated — the trustees reported Wednesday. Trustees also said that Medicare, the giant health care program for the elderly and disabled, faces insolvency in 2020.

Social Security Bill Eases Up on
Accounts (AP)

Social Security Bill Eases Up on
Accounts (AP) 06/22/2005 02:56 AM
AP - With the acquiescence of their leaders, key House Republicans are drafting Social Security legislation stripped of President Bush's proposed personal accounts financed with payroll taxes and lacking provisions aimed at assuring long-term solvency.

Wall St. on Social Security sidelines
(USATODAY.com)

Wall St. on Social Security sidelines
(USATODAY.com) 12/22/2004 01:22 AM
USATODAY.com - As some of the most powerful lobbying engines rev for the impending fight over how to revamp Social Security, one is relatively quiet: Wall Street.

"Republican "plan": starve Social
Security"

"Republican "plan": starve Social
Security" 04/14/2005 03:59 PM

Bush Not Revealing Social Security
Details (AP)

Bush Not Revealing Social Security
Details (AP) 02/01/2005 08:25 PM
AP - President Bush will outline ideas about strengthening Social Security but will not spell out all the details of a plan to fix the system's financial problems when he delivers his State of the Union address Wednesday night.

Social Security Battle Likely (Los
Angeles Times)

Social Security Battle Likely (Los
Angeles Times) 01/05/2005 06:06 AM
Los Angeles Times - WASHINGTON — Two groups of prominent Democratic centrists plan to oppose the centerpiece of President Bush's proposal to restructure Social Security, potentially dimming administration hopes of building bipartisan support for its top domestic priority.

Social Security Number The Key To Identity Theft

The following phrases have been identified by the grok system as matching this entry: "john palffy" "social security" hacking crdit card with billing info "buy social security numbers"