Identity Theft Protection Expert and One You Security: Millions of Mortgage Records in Unauthorized Hands Leave Consumers in Need of a Bulwark against Financial Fraudsters
(SARASOTA, Fla. – Sept. 21, 2008 – One You Security) Last week, reports revealed that the alleged wrongdoings of an employee at Countrywide Home Loans placed more than 2 million unique data records in the hands of parties unauthorized to view the information. The news supported research that links employee negligence to a large number of data breaches, noted Robert Siciliano, widely televised and quoted identity theft protection expert and chief security analyst for One You Security, LLC. In light of the circumstances, he encouraged consumers to enroll in One You Security, a service that transforms Social Security numbers into something functionally useless to financial fraudsters and scours 150 million websites every day, each of them 50 pages deep, for any potentially illegal use of their identifying information.
"Unscrupulous employees are often the weak link in data security," said Siciliano. "As the industry has witnessed time and time again, while firms may — or may not — implement vigorous protocols to serve as a bulwark against data breaches whose culprits originate from outside the organization, internal decision trees and security measures are frequently inadequate or nonexistent. The circumstances create fertile ground for white collar crime that sees consumers’ sensitive, identifying information falling into the hands of thieves. Because they exercise perhaps the least control of all parties over this information, consumers need a service such as One You as the last yet robust line of defense protecting their data from financial fraudsters."
Subscribers to One You Security receive newsletters and special alerts from Siciliano. Through these, they get the latest information on data breaches and learn more about identity theft prevention. Chief security analyst for One You Security and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report‘s editorial board, Siciliano regularly discusses data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s "Today Show," FOX News Network and elsewhere.
More than 45,000 Massachusetts residents found themselves possibly affected by the loss of more than 2 million unique data records from Countrywide Home Loans, a Sept. 18th report in the Boston Globe revealed. Social Security numbers and mortgage loan numbers were among the information lost in the breach, allegedly the handiwork of a former employee who, the firm contended, downloaded and illegally sold to third parties over the course of two years’ time.
The data breach at Countrywide was in keeping with a pattern, noted Siciliano. He pointed to a recent survey jointly conducted by the Ponemon Institute and Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Company, which found 50 percent of its participants saying the number one root cause of data breach incidents is employee negligence.
"These kinds of data breaches occur largely because of policies that consumers have no control over," said Chris Harris, president and CEO of One You Security. "But consumers deserve control over their own information, and they deserve their own line of defense against rampant financial fraud. One You is that last line of a defense — a robust line of defense that creates peace of mind for consumers, whose information goes missing by the millions every year as a result of inadequate security policies at the organizations entrusted with their sensitive, identifying data."
Consumers who choose One You Security do so in part because the company strives to transform their Social Security numbers into meaningless strings of digits of no use to thieves. The firm backs all its offerings with a 100 percent service guarantee.
YouTube video below shows Siciliano on FOX News Network, where he explains how the ubiquity of Social Security numbers as universal identifiers helps thieves online and off-line. A collection of videos at VideoJug features Siciliano sharing advice on how consumers can protect themselves from identity theft and fraud.
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About One You Security, LLC
Sarasota, Fla.-based One You Security‘s mission is to eliminate the threat and consequences of identity theft. For just $10 per month, anyone can sign up for One You Security’s identity theft protection service, a proactive, preventative approach whereby the company activates and manages its customers’ fraud alerts with major credit bureaus. Subscribers also receive full access to ongoing education from identity theft protection expert Robert Siciliano, chief security analyst for One You Security, which backs up its promise to protect clients’ financial identities with a 100 percent service guarantee. To sign up for One You Security, dial 1-800-434-2010.
About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all, and Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, chief security analyst for One You Security, and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report‘s editorial board, makes it his mission to educate Fortune 500 companies and their clients on the dangers of identity theft. Author of "The Safety Minute: 01" and leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on "The Today Show," CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, "FOX News," "The Suze Orman Show," "The Montel Williams Show," "Maury Povich," "Sally Jesse Raphael," "The Howard Stern Show," and "Inside Edition." Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft protection. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Mademoiselle, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others. For more information, visit Siciliano’s Web site, blog, and YouTube page.
The media are encouraged to get in touch with any of the following individuals:
Chris Harris
President & CEO of One You Security
PHONE: 941-342-0500 (x231)
chris@oneyou.com
http://www.oneyou.com
Robert Siciliano
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
Chief Security Analyst for One You Security
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
http://www.idtheftsecurity.com
Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.com
http://www.STETrevisions.com
http://brentskinner.blogspot.com
