Disgruntled Employee with Criminal Past Charged with Theft of Personal Sensitive Records

An employee of the Family Planning Council in Philadelphia was recently charged with a number of offenses after it was discovered he was responsible for stealing sensitive personal data from his place of employment back in December.

Kelly Stanton, 40, was arrested in February once it was discovered that he was responsible for stealing data from the Family Planning Council office that included patient information such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and medical billing information. This data could be used for identity theft, and the concern was made when a background check revealed an extensive history of criminal offenses such as theft.

The employer quit working at the office on December 28th, 2010, when the files went missing, and the police were involved in the investigation once it was determined the data was gone.

If you have been a patient of the Family Planning Council in Philadelphia, it is highly recommended that you consider signing up for credit monitoring services as officials are unsure of what has become of the information that was stolen from the office.

Child Identity Theft

Childhood is supposed to be an innocent time. Kids shouldn’t have to worry about paying bills, getting loans or using credit cards to make purchases. For this reason – plus the fact that most credit is only available to persons over 18 – kids should not have credit records on file. If you look up your child’s name through one of the three credit bureaus it should come back as “no record.”

The sad truth is, though, that some kids aren’t so lucky. These kids have been victims of identity theft, and most don’t even know it. They will find out – of course – when they get older and want to buy a car or a house or even just open a low-limit student credit card. That’s when the delinquent accounts, bad debts and even bankruptcies will come to light – which could have been on the record for years, making it even harder to get the removed in a lot of cases.

You may be asking yourself how kids can be victimized by identity thieves when they don’t even have any credit available to steal. It’s easy. Kids still have names, birth dates and Social Security numbers, with the Social Security number being the key item in this case. When you simply see a string of nine digits, you don’t know the age of the person it belongs to and you have no idea what this person looks like, buy you’d probably assume it is an adult – an assumption that can get an identity thief pretty far.

This assumption has led to babies with auto loans, toddlers with utility bills and the like. A lot of times a relative or close family member – sometimes even a parent – steals the child’s Social Security number to pass off as his or her own if this person has gotten into some credit trouble, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes it’s a hospital or school employee, and sometimes it’s someone who simply guesses the number and doesn’t know it belongs to a child.

This is why identity theft protection plans – such as TrustedID – offer protection to parents and grandparents as well as their dependent children. While some people may think it’s silly to buy such a plan, it could be the best investment you ever make in your child’s future, and an affordable one at that. LifeLock also protects your children but grandparents will have to sign up separately.

Identity Theft Ring Discovered Amongst Medical Office Assistants

A recent discovery was made among a number of medical assistants in Florida that were involved in a medical identity theft ring. Twelve individuals were charged with violating HIPAA regulations and for being involved in this incident, and a further investigation is taking place. It appears as though some of the individuals were also involved in bank fraud.

Patient files from Dr. Linda Green’s office and Dr. Linda Groene’s practice were transferred to other individuals in the identity theft ring, which is a violation of federal HIPAA privacy acts. These files contained sensitive patient information such as names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, and personal medical data, which can be used to commit identity theft.

There have been reports of this information being used to commit fraud, so if you have been a patient of either of these doctors’ offices, it is crucial that you watch your credit reports for suspicious and unusual activity. Identity theft protection services can also help you monitor activity to catch any identity theft practices before they damage your financial and medical reports.

Misplaced Computer Drive Leaves 93,000 Patients at Risk for Identity Theft

After a computer hard drive goes missing from MidState Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut, an investigation has begun and letters have gone out to some 93,000 patients who may be affected by this security breach.

It is unsure as to whether the hard drive had been lost or stolen, but it disappeared around February 15th and has not been found. Therefore, the Connecticut attorney general and the Department of Consumer Protection are working together with MidState Medical Center to determine the appropriate actions at this point.

Letters have been sent to patients that may have been affected by this situation, and MidState is offering Debix identity protection services for two years to everyone that may be negatively affected by this situation. In the meantime, it is being investigated to determine the whereabouts of the hard drive and its contents.

Unauthorized Access to Personal Information Leaves Pilot Data Vulnerable

US Airways pilots are concerned about their identity after being notified that there was a recent breach of personal data within the system. Thousands of pilots are now worried their information will be used for identity theft after a management pilot accessed and transferred a computer database with Social Security numbers, mailing addresses, and passport information off to a third party.

Although there is an investigation underway with the FBI and US Airways, there is extreme concern for the amount of time that the breach went unnoticed. This transfer of data apparently occurred back in November of 2010, and it is unknown the extent of this breach at this time.

If you work for US Airways and are concerned for your personal data, it is important that you consider protective measures such as identity theft protection services and credit report monitoring to ensure that your identity is protected from suspicious and unusual activity that could result in identity theft. With such information such as Social Security numbers being revealed to a third party, the FBI is unsure of how this data will be used if put in the wrong hands.

Lifelock Command Center Review

Lifelock Command Center is designed to be more than just your average credit monitoring service. This service looks for threats beyond what the average service may look for and uses advanced technology to do so. For example, it can find out if an identity thief is using your personal information to commit crimes or avoid arrest, get a payday loan, obtain a job, register for utilities, get an Id or register as a sex offender using your address.

Fraud Detection
Lifelock promotes this service as being different because the company has access to databases where it can search for your personal information that you could not search on your own. It provides monitoring of your information 24 hours a day, and you’ll be notified of threats immediately if the service finds them in public records that criminal use or would have the opportunity to use. The search is quite comprehensive and can find both public and private information.

Alerts and Reports at the Ready
You can see any reports generated regarding your personal information on any day at any time through a secure online panel. To ensure that others can’t access this information, you’ll be subject to security questioning to make sure you really are you.

Here are the details from LifeLock.com:

LifeLock Personal Breach Detection™ Services

Actively monitors unregulated internet and file-sharing networks for your identity information. If we find you are at risk, we’ll alert you by e-mail and help protect you against accidental personal information disclosures.

Court Records Alerts and Reports

Lists court records that match your name and date of birth from county courts, Departments of Corrections (DOC), offices of Administration of Courts (AOC) and other legal agencies to help you verify that criminals aren’t using your name to commit crimes.

Public Records Alerts and Reports

Lists postal addresses associated with your identity found in public records.

Payday Loan Alerts and Reports

Notifies you of any payday loan activity with your name, date of birth and Social Security number.

Alias Records Alerts and Reports

Lists alternate names associated with other pieces of your identity (Social Security number, driver’s license, etc.) found in public records.

Sex Offender Registry Alerts and Reports

Lists registered sex offender records for your zip code. It will also alert you if a sex offender is fraudulently using your address.

Pricing
Lifelock Command Center Service, which also contains all of the benefits of the traditional Lifelock Service, see our LifeLock Review, costs either $13.50 per month or $148.50 per year with our 10% dicount which will be applied automatically when you click here to go to LifeLock.com.

Alternatively, you can enter LifeLock promotion code “BestPrice” (without the quotes) on their form and the price will be updated when you hit apply or you can simply enroll by calling 1-800-LifeLock (1-800-543-3562) and mentioning promo code Best Price. That way you can ask them any further questions if you have any. Their customer service is 24/7 with American staff that are great. A rare thing in todays world.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

While the new movie that just came out highlights some of the problems that occurred when Facebook was getting its start, it’s important to know that the mother of all social networks still have some serious issues, identity theft being one of them. Even with the management of Facebook getting a lot of flack as of late in regards to sharing users’ personal information with the community at large, it’s still super easy for an identity thief to create an account using another person’s name and picture – and then to use that profile to become “friends” with people that individual knows. There is no identity verification required to create a Facebook account.

Think about it. If you got a friend request from someone with a name you know and a photograph you know, you really wouldn’t have any reason to think that account was illegitimate, unless you specifically asked the person about it. Thieves take advantage of this innate trust and use these Facebook accounts to mine for additional personal information or to ask their “friends” for money.

One of the leading scams in regards to this was one that circulated for several weeks. Facebook users told their “friends” that they were stranded overseas and needed money wired to them so that they could get home. There is no record of how many people actually fell for this scam, but it’s likely that tens of thousands of individuals were contacted. The sheer volume of people with Facebook accounts makes these types of scams easy simply due to the law of odds. If you try enough times, someone will eventually fall for it.

FBI agent Alice Tsujihara recently told NBC LA, “A few years ago, statistically they said one in four are victims of identity theft, but with all the skimming and counterfeiting, I think all of us will eventually become a victim and we certainly will know people that have been victims of identity theft.”

Even if you’re not a member of Facebook, you can still be targeted by a thief using a Facebook scam. This happened to Diane Solomon. The only reason she found out she had a “Facebook account” is because a friend sent her a text message and brought up their recent Facebook chat, of which Solomon was not actually a participant.

Those who have Facebook accounts need to change their passwords on a regular basis and make sure they are not the same ones they use for other online accounts, such as their primary email address. If you get a strange message from a “friend” on Facebook, even if you know the person, contact that person directly to verify the legitimacy. Think of it in the same way you would a phishing email. There is nothing wrong with being suspicious.

LifeLock Review

LifeLock offers a comprehensive package of services for identity theft protection. Unlike other companies who assist you in restoring your identity, leaving you to do the majority of the work, LifeLocks complete restoration program ensures that they do most of the work and you only have to assist them. Of course, with LifeLock the chances of becoming a victim are slim to none.

LifeLock Identity Theft Protection

Lifelock will monitor your credit and identity with its Identity Alert System™ by scanning 100’s of databases for potential identity theft situations. Their system detects when someone uses your personal information to apply for credit, credit cards, loans and utilities and more. By monitoring millions of data records, LifeLock keeps a complete eye on your personal information and notifies you by email, regular mail and/or phone of any threatening activity.

With its eRecon monitoring service, LifeLock tracks the online databases well-known for their use by identity thieves to insure that your information is not present. Information placed on one of these sites is oftentimes being sold, traded or distributed illegally for fraudulent purposes.

With TrueAddress, LifeLock does a comprehensive search to make sure that no one changes your address without your knowledge. You will be notified of any address changes that are made as soon as they happen. This is an important service since a typical practice of identity thieves is to change the address on your accounts and then collect your statements without you knowing about it. Smart thieves only do this for a few days so you remain unaware.

LIfeLock also offers identity theft protection for kids under age 16. Youth protection is available in conjunction with the purchase of an adult membership at a considerably lower price. (Only one adult membership per household is required. Then you can purchase plans for as many children as necessary).

LifeLock Command Center

In January 2010, LifeLock added a ton of services that not only enhance their credit protection system but also protects their members from other types of identity theft. The new LifeLock Command Center service has a slightly higher price tag, $148.50 with our discount, and includes all the features of LifeLocks original service but adds the following:

Court Records Alerts and Reports

Lists court records that match your name and date of birth from county courts, Departments of Corrections (DOC), offices of Administration of Courts (AOC) and other legal agencies to help you verify that criminals aren’t using your name to commit crimes.

Alias Records Alerts and Reports

Lists alternate names associated with other pieces of your identity (Social Security number, driver’s license, etc.) found in public records.

Public Records Alerts and Reports

Lists postal addresses associated with your identity found in public records.

LifeLock Personal Breach Detection™ Services

Actively monitors unregulated internet and file-sharing networks for your identity information. If we find you are at risk, we’ll alert you by e-mail and help protect you against accidental personal information disclosures.

Payday Loan Alerts and Reports

Notifies you of any payday loan activity with your name, date of birth and Social Security number

Sex Offender Registry Alerts and Reports

Lists registered sex offender records for your zip code. It will also alert you if a sex offender is fraudulently using your address.

Identity Theft Restoration

The LifeLock organization stands behind its product with a Total Service Guarantee. This is what gave LifeLock CEO Todd Davis the confidence to advertise his Social Security number. If, when you are subscribed to the service, your identity is compromised, Life Lock will spend up to $1 million to work with you to recover any damages this identity theft has caused. These funds can be used for a good number of expenses, such as legal fees, private investigators, case managers and anything else that is needed to recoup your financial loss and restore your identity to its pre-theft status.

Its experts will also share with you their wide-ranging knowledge on how to proceed with the investigation so that you will know exactly what steps they are taking as well as what steps you should take to minimize your inconvenience and time commitment. LifeLocks service in this area sets it apart from other identity theft services who act more as advisors to you, leaving you with more tasks to do then you would with LifeLock behind you.

Additional Conveniences

With its Mailbox Relief service, LifeLock will contact the three credit bureaus and have your name and other personal information removed from their marketing lists. You will see a huge reduction in your junkmail and eventually an end to the pre-approved credit card offers that identity thieves love to steal.

If you lose your purse or wallet, take advantage of LifeLock’s WalletLock. The company will help you get your credit cards and identification canceled and then replaced. This will reduce you frustration and save your valuable time. Life Lock will also connect you to the proper authorities if you were a victim of theft.

LifeLock has customer service available 24/7. Just call them at 1-800-LifeLoc. All their employees including the call center is American based in Tempe, Arizona. If you wish to enroll by phone and receive your first 30 days free and a 10% discount for each year you remain a member simply tell them you want to use promotion code Best Price. That will guarantee you the best price offered to consumers for LifeLock.

LifeLock Promotion

Visit lifelock.com today via one of the links on this site or type www.lifelock.com into your browser and use the promotion code “Best Price” (without the quotes) when you register to save 10% and get your first 30 days free. You’ll enjoy a full year of service, including the Total Service Guarantee, for just $99 a year for LifeLock Basic or $148.50 for LifeLock Command Center and best of all you will continue to receive this rate every year. This is the best LifeLock Promotion code available for consumers. The rate for a child’s membership is just $22.50 per year. These discounted rates are good for the life of your membership.

Identity theft protection has never been more important, both for you and for your children. There are 8 to 10 million American identity theft victims each year. The Russian Mafia was found to have stolen 500,000 bank and credit card numbers over the last two years and the online virus they use has not been stopped. In what experts are calling a very sophisticated ring, bank and credit card details from in store purchases all over Europe were stolen. They had planted a small wireless device in the credit and debit card readers, made in China, that captured numbers, passwords names and addresses and transmitted them to a server in Afghanistan.

The threat of identity theft is very real costing our economy $50 Billion a year already and devastating the lives of far too many Americans. The time to protect yourself with LifeLock is right now, before you need the protection of the guarantee, before some low life criminal or organized criminal ring targets you and your hard earned money or your childs future credit opportunities. Click here now to get started with LifeLock. You will automatically receive the discount.

Bridal Scam

We all know wedding season has some negative connotations associated with it. These usually relate to bridezillas, overbearing mother in laws and things like that. But in at least one case, a woman tried to take advantage of wedding madness by committing the crime of identity theft. Karen M. Tucker was recently sentenced to at least three years in prison for convincing wedding vendors that she was holding a bridal expo in Boston – one that did not actually exist. She told the potential exhibitors that hundreds of future brides and grooms had already bought tickets and were anxious to see their wares.

She stole the name and credit card information from an unidentified individual in Miami to set up a website for her “bridal show” and stole the information from another person, this one in York, PA, in order to set up a Paypal account which she could use to collect fees. She charged vendors from $350 to $4,000 to set up booths, and it’s purported that she was able to scam at least 100 of them into registering for the event.

Not only that, but the plan was to hold similar non-existent bridal shows in several other cities, including Las Vegas, Baltimore and Dallas. If Ms. Tucker had not decided to go with a plea bargain, she could have faced 22 years in prison. What did she get out of her scam? Lots of new personal items. Plus, she was able to pay off some of her expenses. Sincerely not worth it for the hundreds of individuals who got scammed and were, instead, hoping to gain new customers.

This case goes to show you that it is not only individuals who need to watch out for fraudulent behavior. It’s companies as well. You never know what a thief is going to try to do to try to make a little – or a lot – of extra money.

While the identity theft was kind of a minor detail in this case, it’s still important. It shows how identity theft can often be used as part of an effort to commit a larger crime. Recently, the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act worked to make these crimes have more severe punishments. However, this doesn’t deter criminals who think they have a clever idea, and it’s true that many of them never get caught.

Consider purchasing some identity theft protection for yourself and your family today.

Johns Hopkins Identity Theft

If you live in the Baltimore area, you probably know of Johns Hopkins as one of the premier medical centers in the country. If you live in another part of the country, you may have heard of Hopkins because it is the setting for a case of identity theft involving fraudulent credit cards and the stealing of over $600,000. On October 4, five individuals were indicted on charges of stealing patients’ personal information and using it to open accounts at retailers that offer instant credit.

At least one of the individuals, Jasmine Amber Smith, was on the hospital’s staff. Among the victims were both patients and the parents of patients who were under the age of 18. Smith and her accomplices allegedly got credit accounts at at least 50 different stores. While not all of these cards were in different people’s names, each one created a different file on the person’s credit accounts.

It is hopeful that the victims of these thefts had identity theft protection plans. That way they could have learned quickly that the fraudulent accounts were being set up in their names. Otherwise, it could have been weeks or even months before they noticed anything was awry. The protection plan not only helps prevent some cases of identity theft, but it also helps the victims know before collection agencies have the opportunity to get involved. It’s much easier to fix things before you have a negative mark on your credit.

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