| Leukemia Survivor Takes on Bank of America, Citibank, Chase, and CRAs ...
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Five years ago, Eric Drew was on his death bed with leukemia when his identity was stolen by a worker at the hospital where he was being treated. Drew survived cancer, but has taken on another battle; he has filed suit against some of America's largest banks and credit reporting agencies in a case of identity theft. The defendants in the lawsuit include Citibank, Bank of America, Chase, Transunion, Equifax, and Experian. His federal suit was filed in San Francisco, December, 2006 and is now moving forward after the defendants' unsuccessful motions to dismiss. In Drew's case, the defendants issued credit in his name to a fraudulent address in the state of Washington, where he was hospitalized and undergoing treatment, but wasn't a resident.
Cyber-crime unit 'urgent'
A petition has been launched calling for the Prime Minister to set up a national e-crime reporting unit as soon as possible. There are proposals outlined in this year's Comprehensive Spending Review for a new National Fraud Reporting Centre to be set up in 2010-11. The aim of the centre will be to provide a link between local forces, the public and other law enforcement agencies. But following the case of lost data discs at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the petitioner, security analyst Neil Stinchcombe, said 2010 was too long to wait and is using the petition to highlight the need for the centre to be set up as soon as possible. Mr Stinchcombe told Computeractive: "The consequences of, and reactions to, the loss of records by HMRC, make the creation of a well-resourced operation to address computer-assisted crime, including information and identity theft from data and call centres… a matter of great urgency." The problems the public and regional police forces have with reporting and handling individual incidents of cyber-crime is well documented.
Use free reports to monitor, clean up your credit
CREDIT REPORTS show the good, the bad and the ugly in your financial life. They also provide the basis for calculating your credit score, which among other things is used to determine what interest rate you pay on a loan or whether you even get a loan in the first place. That's why it's so important for consumers to obtain a free credit report once a year from each of the country's three major credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Passage of a federal law in 2003 made this possible. Going over your credit report helps you find out not only if there are mistakes that could lower your credit score, but also whether you are an identity-theft victim. Sandra Chapin, program director at the San Mateo-based Consumer Federation of California, ordered her credit reports a few weeks ago.
LifeLock signs pact with NRA
Identity theft prevention service company LifeLock added a big gun to its list of clients, signing the National Rifle Association in a pact that gives members of the firearms organization discounted rates. LifeLock, based in Tempe, communicates with the nation's largest credit reporting agencies to make stolen information unusable to thieves. Backed by a $1 million guarantee, the company essentially reports stolen data, including bank account, credit card and social security numbers, to the agencies to stop charges from being approved. The service also removes customers names from junk mail lists and pre-approved credit card offers. With the partnership, NRA members will receive 60 days of free service and a 10 percent discount. The monthly cost for LifeLock is $10.
How to leave identity thieves out in the cold
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. � It could happen to you. Somebody swipes your Social Security number, then uses it to open a credit card in your name. Before you know it, you've become a victim of identity theft and have a pile of bills for things you didn't buy. Sylvia Coates has found a way to prevent that unpleasant scenario from happening by freezing her credit reports. ``I can't tell you how wonderful it is. I think it is the only foolproof way,'' she said. Coates, who lives in Orinda, Calif., applied for a credit freeze soon after that option become available in 2003, thanks to passage of a state law there that requires credit reporting bureaus to let consumers initiate a credit freeze. Having a credit freeze means that access to your credit reports and credit scores cannot be shared with potential creditors or lenders unless you give permission.
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