Identity Theft: Related Resources 

Without a doubt, as technologies continue to develop, the consummate identity thief is constantly perfecting the art of collecting the information of unsuspecting victims.  This has prompted government and law enforcement agencies, as well as affected businesses step up efforts in combating this issue.  The battle is on…

Here is a quick glance at a few of the agencies who are at work on your behalf:

• U.S Federal Trade Commission
• U.S. Department of Justice
• Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
• CIFAS

U.S Federal Trade Commission

In an effort to reach out to consumers, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has done the following:

• Set up a toll-free hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT.  In an average week, the FTC receives about “15,000 to 20,000 contacts from victims and consumers seeking information on how to avoid identity theft.”
• established a secure online identity theft complaint form
• taken the lead in developing and distributing identity theft-related consumer education materials

U.S. Department of Justice

The following was excerpted from the website of the U.S. Department of Justice

What's The Department Of Justice Doing About Identity Theft And Fraud?

The Department of Justice prosecutes cases of identity theft and fraud under a variety of federal statutes. In the fall of 1998, for example, Congress passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act. This legislation created a new offense of identity theft, which prohibits knowingly transfer[ring] or us[ing], without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity that constitutes a violation of Federal law, or that constitutes a felony under any applicable State or local law.

18 U.S.C. § 1028(a)(7). This offense, in most circumstances, carries a maximum term of 15 years' imprisonment, a fine, and criminal forfeiture of any personal property used or intended to be used to commit the offense.

Schemes to commit identity theft or fraud may also involve violations of other statutes such as identification fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1028), credit card fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1029), computer fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1030), mail fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341), wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343), or financial institution fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1344). Each of these federal offenses are felonies that carry substantial penalties ­ in some cases, as high as 30 years' imprisonment, fines, and criminal forfeiture.

Federal prosecutors work with federal investigative agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Serviceto prosecute identity theft and fraud cases.

Check out usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) is a nonprofit consumer organization with a two-part mission -- consumer information and consumer advocacy. It was established in 1992 and is based in San Diego, California. It is primarily grant-supported and serves individuals nationwide.

The PRC's goals are to:

• Raise consumers' awareness of how technology affects personal privacy.
• Empower consumers to take action to control their own personal information by providing practical tips on privacy protection.
• Respond to specific privacy-related complaints from consumers, intercede on their behalf, and, when appropriate, refer them to the proper organizations for further assistance.
• Document the nature of consumers' complaints and questions about privacy in reports, testimony, and speeches and make them available to policy makers, industry representatives, consumer advocates, and the media.
• Advocate for consumers' privacy rights in local, state, and federal public policy proceedings, including legislative testimony, regulatory agency hearings, task forces, and study commissions as well as conferences and workshops.

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse can be found at privacyrights.org 

What is CIFAS?

In 1988 major lenders in the UK consumer credit industry established CIFAS, the UK’s Fraud Prevention Service. CIFAS is a not for profit membership association solely dedicated to the prevention of financial crime. CIFAS provides a range of fraud prevention services to its members, including a fraud avoidance system used by the majority of the UK’s financial services companies.

This system allows member organisations to exchange details of applications for products or services, which are considered to be fraudulent, because the information provided by the applicant fails verification checks. Members can also exchange information about accounts, which are being fraudulently misused or insurance claims, which are being made fraudulently. CIFAS Members also exchange information about innocent victims of fraud to protect them from further fraud. This exchange of information is referred to in a use of personal data clause on application forms and agreements. CIFAS does not provide a credit reference service. CIFAS only provides a fraud prevention service.

Read more about CIFAS at cifas.org.uk