Thursday, September 15, 2005
Hurricane Katrina Has Greatly Elevated the Risk of Identity Theft
Phishers are already preying on its victims. Courthouses and other buildings housing individuals’ public documents no longer stand, and paper is everywhere. Social Security cards, birth certificates, and other identifying documents are floating in the floodwaters. The circumstances are ripe for identity theft and call for a renewed wake-up call on fraud.
Identity thieves couldn’t ask for a better opportunity. Many victims lack identification, yet it goes without saying we must help them. Thieves know this and will exploit the situation.
MyPublicInfo, an identity management company, provides the Public Information Profile (PIP), a tool that can be very useful in tracing the public "threads" that run through our lives. Citizens can use their PIP to see their public records and make sure their identities are in order. Anyone can obtain a PIP by visiting my Web site, www.idtheftsecurity.com, and clicking on the “MyPublicInfo” logo.
A PIP helps in two ways. Anyone who obtains one can view public records connected to his or her name and also see information accessible to other people performing background checks.
On Sept. 6, an Associated Press report [to gain access to the article, must view a short advertisement] by Jennifer Kerr focused on the pervasiveness of floating debris that litters the Hurricane-afflicted region. Much of this debris displays personal, financial, and other identifying information. A Sept. 9 story that ran in All Headline News reinforced the reality that victims of this hurricane are now highly susceptible to identity theft and fraud.
We’ve heard on the news that the Gulf Coast has been through two disasters in just two weeks. First, the storm hit. Then, we all witnessed a painfully slow response to the unfolding danger in New Orleans. Let’s make sure we stop a third disaster, the possible flood of identity theft in Hurricane Katrina’s wake, before it strikes us out.
According to Dr. Harold Kraft, CEO of MyPublicInfo, "An event like Hurricane Katrina brings with it numerous challenges, as we have all seen. One of these, daunting as it is, will be the retrieval of public records. Anyone hit by this disaster needs to consider jumpstarting the process of verifying his or her identity."
It’s just as important as finding shelter. Public records, personal financial information, and other important documents are strewn, for everyone to see, across an area the size of Great Britain. There’s no telling how many of Katrina evacuees will find that their identities have been compromised by thieves.
Those who have tried to help with their money are also encountering scams. A Sept. 8 New York Times article [article no longer available for viewing] by Tom Zeller Jr. explored the wide variety of online con jobs masquerading as legitimate hurricane relief sites. Many sprouted almost immediately following the disaster.
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is starting to look a lot like what happened after the Tsunami earlier this year. It’s a shame that we have to think about thieves at times like these. It’s also the reality.
Phishers are already preying on its victims. Courthouses and other buildings housing individuals’ public documents no longer stand, and paper is everywhere. Social Security cards, birth certificates, and other identifying documents are floating in the floodwaters. The circumstances are ripe for identity theft and call for a renewed wake-up call on fraud.
Identity thieves couldn’t ask for a better opportunity. Many victims lack identification, yet it goes without saying we must help them. Thieves know this and will exploit the situation.
MyPublicInfo, an identity management company, provides the Public Information Profile (PIP), a tool that can be very useful in tracing the public "threads" that run through our lives. Citizens can use their PIP to see their public records and make sure their identities are in order. Anyone can obtain a PIP by visiting my Web site, www.idtheftsecurity.com, and clicking on the “MyPublicInfo” logo.
A PIP helps in two ways. Anyone who obtains one can view public records connected to his or her name and also see information accessible to other people performing background checks.
On Sept. 6, an Associated Press report [to gain access to the article, must view a short advertisement] by Jennifer Kerr focused on the pervasiveness of floating debris that litters the Hurricane-afflicted region. Much of this debris displays personal, financial, and other identifying information. A Sept. 9 story that ran in All Headline News reinforced the reality that victims of this hurricane are now highly susceptible to identity theft and fraud.
We’ve heard on the news that the Gulf Coast has been through two disasters in just two weeks. First, the storm hit. Then, we all witnessed a painfully slow response to the unfolding danger in New Orleans. Let’s make sure we stop a third disaster, the possible flood of identity theft in Hurricane Katrina’s wake, before it strikes us out.
According to Dr. Harold Kraft, CEO of MyPublicInfo, "An event like Hurricane Katrina brings with it numerous challenges, as we have all seen. One of these, daunting as it is, will be the retrieval of public records. Anyone hit by this disaster needs to consider jumpstarting the process of verifying his or her identity."
It’s just as important as finding shelter. Public records, personal financial information, and other important documents are strewn, for everyone to see, across an area the size of Great Britain. There’s no telling how many of Katrina evacuees will find that their identities have been compromised by thieves.
Those who have tried to help with their money are also encountering scams. A Sept. 8 New York Times article [article no longer available for viewing] by Tom Zeller Jr. explored the wide variety of online con jobs masquerading as legitimate hurricane relief sites. Many sprouted almost immediately following the disaster.
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is starting to look a lot like what happened after the Tsunami earlier this year. It’s a shame that we have to think about thieves at times like these. It’s also the reality.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Citizens can avoid identity confusion by routinely checking their public dossiers
Identity confusion can cost its victims access to insurance, mortgages, leases on apartments, or even job offers. When names are similar, background checks can fail to distinguish the criminal's record from the law-abiding citizen's. Consumers must check their public records regularly to catch the mistake before it happens.
Imagine losing a job offer because some public official sees a criminal's dossier and thinks it's yours because the names are similar. This is why it is so important for a citizen to check her public dossier on a regular basis.
Arlington, VA-based MyPublicInfo provides the tool to do so: the Public Information Profile (PIP). Citizens can obtain a PIP by going to my Web site and clicking on the "MyPublicInfo" logo. The PIP helps in two main ways. Anyone who obtains one can view public records connected to his name and see information accessible to other people performing background checks.
You pay your bills on time and take pride in being a law-abiding citizen. Then, some dreg of society comes along and ruins it all. Whether it's identity theft or mistaken identity, a citizen in these instances is essentially burdened with being guilty and having to prove innocence.
A recent article in The Reidsville Review chronicled the travails of a woman with multiple last names from previous marriages. To rent a new apartment, she needed a background check. Officials ended up confusing her, a law-abiding citizen, with another woman whose similar name pulled up a public record detailing a penchant for writing bad checks. The embarrassing and reputation damaging mix-up took many hours to resolve.
According to Dr. Harold Kraft, CEO of MyPublicInfo, "Identity confusion is just one of the problems the PIP helps to combat. The PIP also enables citizens to be proactive in catching criminal activity committed in their names. It is time-consuming to rectify even the honest mistakes that public officials are bound to make."
MyPublicInfo's PIP gives consumers unique and unparalleled access to their public records. It is the first tool to provide consumers with user-friendly, complete, and legally conforming personal profiles of aggregated public information.
Wilmington, NC's "WECT News 6" reported the plight of a North Carolina man, Kevin Horn. His public record showed the criminal history of his high school classmate, who has used Horn's identity as a cover for the past 10 years. According to the report, it has been challenging for Horn to get jobs and insurance.
Citizens need to start thinking about identity upkeep. The price of inaction can be a real-life nightmare. Keep tabs on your public records. Watch your credit reports. Expect the worst and check for evidence of it regularly. Only then do you stand a real chance of avoiding misfortune.
Identity confusion can cost its victims access to insurance, mortgages, leases on apartments, or even job offers. When names are similar, background checks can fail to distinguish the criminal's record from the law-abiding citizen's. Consumers must check their public records regularly to catch the mistake before it happens.
Imagine losing a job offer because some public official sees a criminal's dossier and thinks it's yours because the names are similar. This is why it is so important for a citizen to check her public dossier on a regular basis.
Arlington, VA-based MyPublicInfo provides the tool to do so: the Public Information Profile (PIP). Citizens can obtain a PIP by going to my Web site and clicking on the "MyPublicInfo" logo. The PIP helps in two main ways. Anyone who obtains one can view public records connected to his name and see information accessible to other people performing background checks.
You pay your bills on time and take pride in being a law-abiding citizen. Then, some dreg of society comes along and ruins it all. Whether it's identity theft or mistaken identity, a citizen in these instances is essentially burdened with being guilty and having to prove innocence.
A recent article in The Reidsville Review chronicled the travails of a woman with multiple last names from previous marriages. To rent a new apartment, she needed a background check. Officials ended up confusing her, a law-abiding citizen, with another woman whose similar name pulled up a public record detailing a penchant for writing bad checks. The embarrassing and reputation damaging mix-up took many hours to resolve.
According to Dr. Harold Kraft, CEO of MyPublicInfo, "Identity confusion is just one of the problems the PIP helps to combat. The PIP also enables citizens to be proactive in catching criminal activity committed in their names. It is time-consuming to rectify even the honest mistakes that public officials are bound to make."
MyPublicInfo's PIP gives consumers unique and unparalleled access to their public records. It is the first tool to provide consumers with user-friendly, complete, and legally conforming personal profiles of aggregated public information.
Wilmington, NC's "WECT News 6" reported the plight of a North Carolina man, Kevin Horn. His public record showed the criminal history of his high school classmate, who has used Horn's identity as a cover for the past 10 years. According to the report, it has been challenging for Horn to get jobs and insurance.
Citizens need to start thinking about identity upkeep. The price of inaction can be a real-life nightmare. Keep tabs on your public records. Watch your credit reports. Expect the worst and check for evidence of it regularly. Only then do you stand a real chance of avoiding misfortune.
