Will a National ID Card Prevent Identity Theft?

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Identity Theft Expert Robert Siciliano

In a word, no. A national ID card, on its own, will not prevent all forms of identity theft. In order for new account fraud to be entirely avoidable, a number of other factors would have to come into play, effectively establishing accountability through identity proofing. Effective identity proofing is also necessary in order to reliably prevent medical and criminal identity theft.

As you might have guessed, identity proofing simply means proving that individuals are who they say they are. Identity proofing often begins with personal questions, like the name of a first grade teacher or the make and model of a first vehicle, that only the actual person would be able to answer. Of course, this technique is not foolproof, and now that personal information is so readily available over the Internet, knowledge-based authentication is probably on its way to extinction. The next step is documentation, such as a copy of a utility bill or a mortgage statement. These types of identifying documents can be scavenged from the trash, but they are more effective proof when combines with personal questions. Biometric features, such as fingerprints or iris scans, can help further authenticate an individual’s identity.

Identity scoring is another effective identity proofing method. An identity score is a system for tagging and verifying the legitimacy of an individual’s public identity. Identity scores are being used to prevent fraud in business and to verify and correct public records. Identity scores incorporate a broad set of consumer data, including components such as personal identifiers, public and government records, Internet data, corporate data, predicted behavior patterns based on empiric data, self-assessed behavior patterns, and credit records.

USA Today reports that in the four years since Congress enacted the Real ID Act, which was intended to make it more difficult to obtain a fraudulent driver’s license, the act has languished due to opposition from several states. Real ID supporters say it will not only deter terrorism but also reduce identity theft, curb illegal immigration and reduce underage drinking, all by making the nation’s identification-of-choice more secure. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is proposing the repeal of the Real ID Act.

The Real ID Act has many provisions that are forms of identity proofing along with the potential for biometrics across the board. When Indiana checked its six million drivers against a Social Security database, it ended up invalidating 19,000 licenses that didn’t match. When Indiana began using “facial recognition” technology to make its photos secure, the state caught a man who had 149 licenses with the same photo but different names.

Is Napolitano moving backwards or forwards? Do your research and decide for yourself.

Protect yourself from identity theft;

1. Get a credit freeze. Go online now and search “credit freeze” or “security freeze” and go to consumersunion.org and follow the steps for the state you live in. This is an absolutely necessary tool to secure your credit. In most cases it prevents new accounts from being opened in your name.

2. Invest in Intelius Identity Protect. While not all forms of identity theft can be prevented, you can effectively manage your personal identifying information by knowing what’s buzzing out there in regards to YOU.
Includes;

Personal Identity Profile – Find out if you’re at risk for identity theft with a detailed report of your identity information, including a current credit report, address history, aliases, and more.

24/7 Identity Monitoring and Alerts – Prevent identity theft with automatic monitoring that scans billions of public records daily and alerts you to suspicious activity.

Identity Recovery Assistance – Let professionals help you recover your identity if you ever become a victim of identity theft.

Identity Theft Speaker Robert Siciliano discussing identity theft on Fox News

Identity Theft Attempt at Defcon

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Identity Theft Expert Robert Siciliano

Hackers hacked hackers at the annual Defcon conference in Las Vegas this past weekend. Defcon is a conference for hackers of all breeds. There are good guys, bad guys, those who are somewhere in between, plus law enforcement and government agents. All kinds of inventive people with an intuition for technology decend on Las Vegas to learn, explore, and hack.

At this year’s Defcon, someone planted a real, rigged, malicious ATM right outside the security office of the Riviera Hotel and Casino. For some reason, the area outside the security office doesn’t have any security cameras, which made it an easy place to attempt a scam. Scams like this are common in Las Vegas, due to the city’s transient nature and frantic pace. Everyone is looking for a quick buck, and what better place to pull of an ATM scam than Vegas?

ATM skimming comes in two flavors. In the first scenario, a device called a “skimmer” is placed on the face of an operational ATM. When a card is swiped, the skimmer records the data on the card, and a hidden camera generally records the PIN. Usually, money is dispensed. In the second scenario, a used ATM is rigged to record data, and placed in a public area. These ATMs are only semi-operational, and do not dispense cash. This is the type of ATM that was found in Las Vegas.

A conference attendee uncovered the scam when he attempted to use the machine and recieved an error message. Upon further investigation, a computer was discovered where the security camera should have been. The computer was recording all the victims’ details. That’s when the alarm was sounded and the area became a crime scene.

You can protect yourself from these types of scams by paying attention to your statements. Refute unauthorized transactions within 60 days. Consider never using a debit card again, since credit cards are safer. When using an ATM, pay close attention to details, and look for anything that seems out of place. If your card gets stuck in the machine or you notice anything odd about the appearance of the machine, such as wires, double sided tape, error messages, a missing security camera, or the machine seems unusually old and run down, don’t use it. Don’t use just any ATM. Instead, look for ATMs in more secure locations. (Of course, just outside the security office isn’t exactly the middle of nowhere, so always be alert.) Use strong PINs, with both upper and lowercase letters, as well as numbers. And invest in Intelius Identity Theft Protection and Prevention. Not all forms of identity theft can be prevented, but identity theft protection services can dramatically reduce your risk.

Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Speaker discussing ATM skimming on Fox News

Privacy Is Dead, Identity Theft Prospers

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My information is in lots and lots of different places. I sacrifice a lot of privacy because of the nature of my business. If I wasnt so dependant on eyeballs I’d live much differently. However to participate in society on any level, privacy becomes a dead issue. Accept it. Or live in the jungle in Africa.

A CEO of a major software company declares, “You have zero privacy, get over it.” In response, the FTC states, “Millions of American consumers tell us that privacy is a grave concern to them when they are thinking about shopping online.”

Do you agree? Is privacy dead? Do you share your “status” on Facebook? Twitter? Do you have a MySpace page? A blog? Do you post your family photos on any of the above, or on Flicker?

The statement, “You have zero privacy, get over it,” was made by Scott McNealy, former chief executive officer of Sun Microsystems, in 1999. That was 10 years ago. Before the phrase “social networking” or the word “blog” entered our lexicon.

Here we are in 2009, when that statement is 100 times more true than it was 10 years ago. When you ask people if they are concerned about online privacy, they respond with a big, loud, angry “YES!” Then they hypocritically use their Facebook pages to inform the world that they are about to go on vacation. Which means that the lights are off and nobody’s home.

It isn’t just web users voluntarily giving up their privacy, it’s also corporations and government agencies gathering data as a form of intelligence. This data might be used to sell you something or it could be used to protect us in the form of Homeland Security.

Our personal information can be bought and sold. “Information brokers” sell our data to anyone with a credit card. One of the largest publicly traded information brokers in the world is a company called ChoicePoint. Last time I checked, they had 19 billion records on file. And one of their biggest customers is the US government.

So even if you don’t update your Facebook status to tell the world you just made a tuna sandwich, chances are, your phone number, your most recent address, or even your anonymous chat handle can be found on Zabasearch.com or iSearch.com. If you’ve ever committed a felony, your data may be on CriminalSearches.com Heck, just Google yourself.

At least head to Facebook and lock down your privacy settings. You get to them from the Settings –> Privacy Settings menu.

If you are reading this, you are participating in society. The price you pay is sacraficing your personal identifying information in order to get an Internet connection, credit, a car, medical attention, to go to school or buy a pair of shoes. While many citizens scream against Big Brother and corporate America abusing their trust, many will also give up all their privacy for ten% off a new pair of shoes.

All this makes it very easy for criminal hackers to commit identity theft. They use this available data to become you. Since your data is already out there, you’d better invest in identity theft protection and make sure your PC is up to date with Internet security software.

For more information, I recommend You Have Zero Privacy – Enjoy It! by Mike Spinny, and Cyberwar’s First Casualty: Your Privacy by Preston Gralla and Why give up Privacy? by Bob Sullivan

Robert Siciliano, identity theft expert, discusses background checks.

Government Agencies Engaging in Criminal Hacking Techniques

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Identity Theft Expert Robert Siciliano

This article may be a little political. However bad guys are trying to win a cyberwar against us and it’s important to understand what’s being done to protect us.

The US National Security Agency is probably the most sophisticated group of security hackers in the world. Many will argue this point. The fact is, without NSA, US STRATCOM, which directs the operation and defense of the military’s Global Information Grid, and US CERT, attacks on our critical infrastructures would be successful. We’d be living in the dark, telephones wouldn’t work, food wouldn’t be delivered to your supermarket and your toilet wouldn’t flush. These are not the same bumbling government employees you see on C-SPAN.

The Obama administration is in the process of completing aninternal cyber-security review,  announcing plans for cyber-security initiatives and determining who’s going to lead the charge.

The New York Times reports that the NSA wants the job and of course, this is raising hackles amongst privacy advocates and civil libertarians who fear that the spy agency already has too much power. I’m all for checks and balances. However, in order to detect threats against our nation and other global computer infrastructures from criminal hackers and terrorists, those in charge of cyber-security must have full and unlimited access to networks. There is certainly a legitimate concern here that any government agency with too much power can overstep citizens’ rights. However, coming from a security perspective, there are some very bad guys out there who would like nothing more for you to be dead.

Here’s a glowing example of how this power is used for good. Wired.com’s Kevin Poulsen (who should be required reading) reports on an FBI-developed super spyware program called “computer and Internet protocol address verifier,” or CIPAV, which has been used to investigate extortion plots, terrorist threats and hacker attacks in cases stretching back to before the dotcom bust. This is James Bond, Hollywood blockbuster technology that makes for a gripping storyline. The CIPAV’s capabilities indicate that it gathers and reports a computer’s IP address, MAC address, open ports, a list of running program, the operating system type, version and serial number, preferred Internet browser and version, the computer’s registered owner and registered company name, the current logged-in user name and the last-visited URL. That’s the equivalent of a crime scene investigator having fresh samples of blood for the victim and perpetrator, and 360 degree crystal clear video of the crime committed.

The FBI sneaks the CIPAV onto a target’s machine like any criminal hacker would, using known web browser vulnerabilities. They use the same type of hacker psychology phishers use, tricking their target into clicking a link, downloading and installing the spyware. They function like any illegal hacker would, except legally. In one case, they hacked a mark’s MySpace page and posted a link in the subject’s private chat room, getting him to click it. In another case, the FBI was trying to track a sexual predator that had been threatening the life of a teenage girl who he’d met for sex. The man’s IP addresses were anonymous from all over the world, which made it impossible to track him down. Getting the target to install the CIPAV made it possible to find this animal. Numerous other cases are cited in the Wired.com article, including an undercover agent working a case described as a “weapon of mass destruction” (bomb & anthrax) threat, who communicated with a suspect via Hotmail, and sought approval from Washington to use a CIPAV to locate the subject’s computer.

So while Big Brother may yield some scary power, criminals and terrorists are a tad scarier. I’ve always viewed the term “Big Brother” as someone who watches over and protects you. Just my take.

As always, invest in identity theft protection and Internet security solutions to keep the bad guys and the spyware out.

Robert Siciliano, identity theft speaker, discusses spyware.

I’m excited to work with uni-ball in 2009 in a partnership to help raise awareness about the growing threat of identity theft and provide tips for protecting yourself. Check out uniball-na.com for more information.

Nuclear Weapons, CyberSecurity and an Unlocked Door.

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Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert Speaker www.IDTheftSecurity.com

What happens when you have an unlocked door at the home of and employee at the top U.S. nuclear weapons laboratory? How about 3 stolen computers with yet to be disclosed data, that was said to be non-classified. We hope. Were the computers stolen to be resold for crack? Or for nuclear weapons secrets? We may never know. Or we may find out the hard way.

At the Los Alamos National Laboratory in Santa Fe New Mexico dozens more (67 total) systems are currently listed as missing. Officials are conducting a full review of the lab’s policies and procedures governing the use of official computers at employees’ homes.

Situations like this are common in every industry with every conceivable form of data. We just wish it wasn’t data from a nuclear weapons facility.

Its important to point out that the facility has as many as 40,000 computers including desktops, laptops, PDAs, printers and so on. Do the math, less than a .25 percent lost or stolen. The lab has been documented at a better than 99.5 accountability rate.

We know there is no such thing as 100% security whether protecting from hardware or data thieves. Security is an ongoing, never ending, consistent, on your toes, don’t let your guard down, vigilant process.

And its not just criminal hackers causing big problems, lowly burglars looking for their next bag of dope stole a laptop computer from the home of a government employee containing 26.5 million Social Security Numbers, a US primary identifier. This $500 laptop cost millions.

Can you say your organization has a 99.5% success rate?

What policies do you have in place to foster a security minded culture? Here are just a few bullets as examples for you to add too.

# Cover all organizational systems used for processing, storing or transmitting personal information.

# Security risks faced assessed in the development of the policy

# Cost-effective measures devised to reduce the risks to acceptable levels

# Monitored and periodically reviewed.

# Staff and management made aware of the protective security policies and how to implement them.

Robert Siciliano discussing another hack Here

Quarter Million Dollar Bounty for Criminal Hacker

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Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Speaker and Expert

In a Microsoft press release a global bounty has been offered for the arrest and prosecution of whoever has created and released the “conficker” virus.

Conficker was released in the last quarter of 2008 and has infected a wide estimate of 2 million to 10 million PCs. After issuing patches, Microsoft estimates approximately 3 million PCs globally are still compromised.

However none of the PCs infected with the conficker are displaying any of the characteristics generally exhibited by the recent spate of viruses offering a remote control component and often used to host spoofed websites and other malicious fraud related activities.

Although, this virus is designed to constantly ping some 250 different domains that were most likely controlled by the criminal hackers that created it. The virus acts like any software calling home looking for an update, checking time/dates stamps and what version is running.

It is widely believed that conficker is waiting for its next set of updates to unleash the endgame its writers had in mind. BRILLIANT!

Many who study conficker as it phones home have been monitoring the 250 domains looking for the next “update”.

Each of these top level domains include .com, .net and .org. All of which fall under Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), who heads up the domain registration industry. ICANNs rules prohibit such reserving of domains. ICANN then worked with registrars in heading off any future registration of conficker sought domains.

What has been out of the control of ICANN has been .ws and .cn (China) based domains and due to the ferocity of conficker and negocitions by ICANN, China and other global registrars have agreed to make it difficult for conficker to continue to control its 250 base domains or seek others along the string.

What we are seeing here is a global effort by international agency’s, security professionals from around the world and Microsoft working together to defeat an unknown attacker, that if left un-matched, could infect a significant portion of the worlds computers.

This story is not over.

Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert-Speaker video discussing rise in identity theft Here

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security: News Media Chronicles Robert Siciliano’s Disagreement with Policymakers on REAL ID Act

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(BOSTON, Mass. – April 14, 2008 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Even as news that data breaches from just the first quarter of 2008 compromised the security of more than 8 million unique data, policymakers in Washington, D.C. continued to resist efforts to implement the REAL ID Act, which aims to synchronize major forms of identification with a national ID. Politicians of any ideological stripe who oppose the legislation are doing a disservice to efforts that aim to curb the rate of fraud, said widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert Robert Siciliano.

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report‘s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. An experienced identity theft speaker and author of "The Safety Minute: 01," he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s "Today Show," on FOX News, and elsewhere.

"Policymakers who resist efforts to synchronize the nation’s methods of identification through a national ID help neither those who want privacy nor those who want greater security," said Siciliano. "They instead pander, wittingly or not, to voters who fail to understand that privacy is an illusion.”

Security breaches in the first quarter of 2008 compromised about 8.3 million unique data records, an April 9th news release from the Identity Theft Resource Center stated. Dating back three years, Siciliano’s views on a revamped national identification system, which he has said would greatly hamper identity thieves’ ability to capitalize on the preponderance of data breaches, have appeared in print in response to opposing viewpoints from policymakers.

In May of 2005, a write-up of Siciliano’s appeared alongside one from 2008 U.S. Presidential Candidate and Republican Senator Ron Paul in the Costco Connection. Sicliano argued that "[o]ur current IDs are dumb," consisting of only "pieces of paper with typed words and photos laminated in plastic." For his own part, Senator Paul countered that "[a] national ID card…will allow the federal government to inappropriately the movements and transactions of every American." But Siciliano noted that "[e]verything we do from the time we are born is [already] documented.… Now we must manage our circumstances."

On March 27, the Counterterrorism Blog identified other policymakers who have opposed the REAL ID Act, such as Democrat Senator Richard Durbin and Republican Senator Lamar Alexander. And comments from Siciliano on a national ID again appeared with Senator Paul’s, this time in a story that saw widespread coverage earlier this month.

“That privacy no longer exists is lamentable,” Siciliano continued. “But without privacy, we need security more than ever. When politicians soapbox about privacy, they mischaracterize the security challenges facing this country, and citizens then clamor for solutions that don’t exist. Citizens who say that they want privacy in response to mischaracterizations of the problems the nation’s identification system faces must hear the truth: Privacy is no longer possible, but they in fact have a right, in privacy’s wake, to security—the right to know that their data is secure when in the hands of others."

The YouTube video below shows Siciliano on "FOX Newschannel,” where he explains how the ubiquity of Social Security numbers as universal identifiers helps thieves online and off-line. Those wishing to learn how to protect themselves against identity theft may view video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

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About IDTheftSecurity.com

Identity theft affects us all. Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report‘s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients.

A 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." The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

Visit Siciliano’s Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.realtysecurity.com/blog; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly:

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

Identity Theft: Federal Task Force Provides Good Recommendations Too Late—Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security

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(BOSTON, Mass. – May 7, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) In late April, the Federal Identity Theft Task Force, formed last year to investigate this crime, released findings and recommendations. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, the announcement was one more example of government bureaucracy seemingly unable to counter identity theft in a timely manner.

“Identity theft happens fast,” said Siciliano. “Ask anyone who’s been a victim. A year’s time at the mercy of an identity thief could mean a life’s savings gone. While we need government intervention to stop identity theft, we also need it to happen on identity theft’s timetable, not a bureaucracy’s.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. A longtime identity theft speaker and author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

On April 23, President Bush’s Federal Identity Theft Task Force, led by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras, announced its recommendations. The 190-page report addressed a wide spectrum of data and computer crime and its effects, calling for tougher laws against some identity theft–related crimes; longer prison sentences, in some cases, for those who steal electronic data; and improved monetary compensation for victims of identity theft.

One recommendation of note calls for the development of a federal law to supersede state laws that currently require data brokers, or any company, to inform the public when data breaches of certain magnitudes occurs. Thirty-five states already have such laws. One notable example is California’s SB 1386, which compelled ChoicePoint, Inc. to report a massive data breach in early 2005.

On April 20, SearchSecurity.com reported the on the activities of security industry lobbyists, the Cyber Security Industry Alliance, who have claimed that a preponderance of differing state laws makes data breach reporting costly to manage. The group has called for a simplification and nationalization of these requirements.

Although the report addressed these, and many of the other, issues Siciliano champions, he said government works too slowly to combat identity theft.

“Work to complete this report began nearly a year ago,” said Siciliano. “And now it will probably go through another year’s worth, at least, of committee hearings and debates in Congress before anything even remotely resembling it becomes law. In the meantime, thousands, maybe millions, of U.S. citizens have, or will have, fallen prey to identity thieves. A meaningful response to identity theft demands law enforcement initiatives rooted in law. But the system that gets us there is unable to get us there quickly enough.”

Recently, Siciliano appeared on CNBC to discuss credit and debit card scams. Readers may view his appearance here.

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About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all. Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients.

A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” NBC’s “Today Show,” “The Suze Orman Show,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “Inside Edition.” The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include 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.

Visit Siciliano’s Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.realtysecurity.com/blog; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly:

Robert Siciliano
Personal Security Expert
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

The media may also contact:

Brent W. Skinner, President
STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz

Identity Theft–Fighting Legislation May Also Improve Consumer Perceptions—Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security

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(BOSTON, Mass. – March 27, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Research into consumer behavior and perceptions has found that consumers are more apt to shop where they perceive data security to be strong. Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, said governments themselves may also be at risk of losing the trust of constituencies. According to Siciliano, action from the U.S. Congress and recent identity theft–related legislation in Texas and California may affect trends identified in the study’s findings, released in March by a California-based research organization.

“What we see with this and other studies’ findings is common sense validated by research,” Siciliano said. “Of course consumers are going to shop where they think data security is highest. This is nothing new—nor is the idea that legislation forcing industry to improve data security might change consumer perceptions in ways that belie industry’s propensity to resist new rules.”

President of IDTheftSecurity.com, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for data security issues. The Privacy Learning Institute has featured Siciliano, a longtime identity theft speaker. Author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” He has discussed identity theft and data security on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

The study from Javelin Strategy & Research also revealed that consumers think retailers share an equal responsibility with banks, credit card companies, processors, and cardholders themselves for protecting credit and debit card account information. But this seemed to bear little on shopping decisions. According to Javelin’s March 8 news release, only 20 percent of the survey’s 1,200 randomly sampled respondents, all credit or debit cardholders, said they would likely continue shopping at a store if they learned it had a data breach that may have compromised their card account information; nearly 78 percent, in fact, would be unlikely to continue to shop there.

Meanwhile, activity from state governments and in the U.S. Congress pointed to new and possible legislation:

· As reported in Insurance Journal on March 23, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill, HB 887, extending the statute of limitations for identity theft crimes from three years to seven.

· On March 25, an article in the California Progress Report indicated that California’s assembly was deliberating a bill, AB 1168, to end the state’s practice of selling its own residents’ Social Security numbers to data brokerages.

· The New York Times reported that the Senate Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on terrorism, technology, and homeland security held hearings on March 21 to discuss proposed bills. One aims to require all companies to inform consumers when a data breach has occurred; the other endeavors to curtail use of Social Security numbers and make their misuse criminal.

“When you look at consumer perceptions about data security and identity theft,” Siciliano concluded, “it’s difficult not to conclude that we’ve reached a tipping point. Perceptions die hard, and we may have reached the point where, in order to retain the business of customers, industry actually needs the legislation it typically resists.”

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About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all, which is why Robert Siciliano, president of IDTheftSecurity.com, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients. A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, “The Suze Orman Show,” “ABC News with Sam Donaldson,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” and “The Howard Stern Show.”

Visit Siciliano’s Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.IDTheftSecurity.blogspot.com; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly:

Robert Siciliano
Personal Security Expert
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

The media may also contact:

Brent W. Skinner, President
STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz