Police Learn Tools To Prevent ID Theft
September 23, 2008
News Channel 5
Hundreds of police officers from across the state met to discuss identity theft, one the nation's fastest-growing crimes.
More than 150 officers gathered at the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville to learn about tools to crack down on identity theft and white-collar crimes.
"It's the fastest growing crime in the country. It's a crime that you might not be aware of it until some bad happens to you," said John Webb, deputy chief for White Collar and Economic Crimes and the Identity Theft coordinator for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
They learned everything from old tricks to new trends in identify theft.
"We handle several hundred calls a day, "said Jeremy Miller, who works for Kroll Fraud Solutions.
He helps clients who have been victims of identity theft. But even after the thief is caught, Miller said, it's not over.
"Two years later she gets a collection notice from a collection agency regarding a big rig. A semi-trailer had been bought in her name," Miller said.
Miller said he and his partners deal with thousands of similar situations a year and identity theft can happen to anyone in a number of ways.
Earlier this year, a computer at the Davidson County Election Commission was stolen. It contained the personal information belonging to thousands of local residents.
"A lot of times there is not a clear light at the end of the tunnel," Miller said.
Miller said it's important to be cautious when giving out the Social Security number or any personal information to someone you don't know.
"You really need to be cognizant of any type of activity that may be related to your identity and that includes your taxes, that includes your yearly Social Security wage-earning statement that you receive," Miller said.
When it comes to information placed on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, officers said, users should be extremely careful because information supplied on them such as birth dates and where you live could be used to steal your identity.
Experts and Speakers
Kroll Fraud Solutions employs globally recognized experts with extraordinary knowledge of the many physical, procedural and electronic security gaps through which confidential data is breached, as well as the criminal landscape where stolen identities are bought, sold and used fraudulently.
Your Identity Is Your Business. Protecting It Is Ours .
