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FACTS
Over 10 million Americans had been victimized by identity theft
An FTC report found California to have the third-highest rate of identity theft per capita
No single federal law regulates the overall use or restricts the disclosure of Social Security numbers by governments
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Our
Mission...
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At Talon
Executive Services, Inc. we pride ourselves in
providing the highest quality professional
security service to business and industry, without
the prohibitive costs commonly associated with
such services. TALON is fully licensed and
insured, and is unequaled in professionalism,
training, experience and
integrity. | |
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By: Robyn Williams, Director of Marketing and Business Development
It’s making headlines again, with journalists saying it’s the fastest growing crime in America and anyone with a social
security number is vulnerable. So how serious is the identity theft epidemic? So serious former Defense Secretaries,
CIA Directors and Counterterrorism Advisors may be recent victims. Science Applications International Corp., a
company known for hiring Washington’s most powerful intelligence and military officials, had their database broken
into, an information surprise attack, leaving thousands of employees, many with security clearances wide open to being
stripped of their most valuable information. Stolen identity not only affects Washington’s most elite security
advisors but the average citizen who has no idea they are being robbed. Tens of thousands of people from all walks of
life are currently facing this harsh reality after a ring of identity thieves gained access to ChoicePoint, one of the
most frequently used companies to gain personal information. ChoicePoint holds the keys to personal profiles of
nearly every consumer; selling their information to employers, landlords and government agencies. Shocked by the
breach, attorneys and investigators are scrutinizing ChoicePoint executives for withholding news of the breach to
those affected for several months. Companies like ChoicePoint, who retain personal information about individuals in
electronic format are now required to report any and all breaches to individuals who live in states that have enacted
legislation such as California’s SB 1386.
As the epidemic escalates, many are left feeling helpless to respond to its devastating impact. Understanding the
strategies used by these sneaky suspects can help prevent prohibit you from becoming a target. Combating these
silent thieves requires pro-active measures, investigating what others know about you and being vigilant about any
sign of fraudulent activity. Simple steps such as shredding all important documents, never disclosing information to
unknown callers and only shopping on web sites where the credit card account is encrypted are critical to halting
this criminal activity before it becomes a crisis.
Once a person has fallen prey to having their personal information stolen, it is critical to take the urgent steps
needed such as filing a police report, notifying one of the 3 major credit bureaus and most importantly, issuing a
fraud alert requiring brokers, credit card companies and other lenders to scrutinize anyone who opens any account in
your name. Californians can also order a “credit freeze” requiring lenders, retailers and other businesses to get
special access to your credit report through a pin based system, preventing anyone from getting new loans and credit
in your name.
While there is no silver bullet to address identity violations, members of the U.S. Senate are introducing a package
of measures to regulate the use of social security numbers by government agencies and private companies. This
legislation would prohibit the sale or display of social security numbers to the public and require a business or
government entity to notify individuals when a hacker has obtained sensitive information. Last year, congress
approved the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act which imposes tougher penalties on identity thieves. Although
progress is being made, former Secret Service and F.B.I. agents who have spent years investigating these crimes can
provide extensive expert advise on how to respond and combat this escalating epidemic.
For further insight and contact information:
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