Is Big Brother watching you online?
When surfing the Internet you probably take your anonymity
for granted, most of us do.
Tapping phones, listening to confidential conversations,
reading othe…
California recently enacted ground-breaking legislation designed to protect the consumer from dealer abuses. In many ways, the Car Buyers Bill of Rights seems to only exacerbate the matter and create …
I have the citi MTVU credit card and I was wondering if I have overdraft protection, like if it stops me from spending more than what my credit limit is (500).
VALLEY & STATE online print edition
Print Article Email Article Most Popular Change Type Size 2 bills seek to protect against identity theft
Scott Wong
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 10, 2008 02:02 PM
Last September, state Sen. Amanda Aguirre got a phone call from her bank. Did she use her debit card to make an online purchase for nearly $2,000 worth of Italian shoes?
The Yuma Democrat said while she does have a penchant for nice shoes, she would never spend that kind of money. Aguirre’s bank eventually reimbursed her for the fraudulent charges, but that day she became just another Arizona victim of identity theft.
“It’s an experience where you feel violated personally,” Aguirre said Thursday in front of the Capitol. “It’s like they are tapping into your most valuable things, your cash, your money.” advertisement
Aguirre joined House Speaker Pro Tem Bob Robson, R-Chandler, and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard on Thursday to mark the Legislature’s bipartisan passage of two bills they say will help protect consumers against identity theft.
The bills are awaiting the governor’s signature.
Aguirre’s Senate Bill 1185, which was passed unanimously by both chambers, would allow consumers to put or lift a freeze on their credit reports for a $5 fee, half the price of what credit reporting agencies now charge. Locking the credit report makes it virtually impossible for someone else to take out credit in another person’s name, including opening a new credit-card account.
Currently, the three main credit reporting agencies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - voluntarily allow Arizona identity-theft victims to request a security freeze for free, something that would be mandated under the bill. Since late 2007, these companies have charged $10 for non-victims to put or lift a freeze on their reports.
Meanwhile, House Bill 2587, introduced by Robson, would require a business to verify a consumer’s identity before lending money or extending credit to ensure that the credit application or retail transaction is not the result of identity theft.
In some instances, criminals have stolen credit applications from mailboxes and applied for a card under someone else’s identity.
“It puts a little bit of the onus on the business community in making sure that’s the individual you’re actually dealing with,” Robson said.
“Today is a really good day for consumers in the state of Arizona in the sense they now have protection they can rely on and the ability to go freeze their credit for $5.”
The one-two punch helps Arizona “take a huge bite out of identity theft,” Goddard said.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, Arizona ranked first in the nation in the number of identity-theft victims per 100,000 residents in 2006. There were more than 9,100 cases of identity theft reported in the state that year.
“Arizona has been No. 1 for way too long in this area,” Goddard said. Arizona consumers deserve better and I think now they are going to get it.”
Everytime I move I still get these stupid letters in the mail where a company like Littlewoods / Barclays etc sends you something saying ‘you’ve won money!’ and they want my details like birthday sent back to them ‘to claim’.
Firstly, how do they know my full name when I am very careful about giving details away and I always specify that I don’t want third parties to be informed of my details when I open a bank account etc and when I’ve never had anything to do with these companies? Secondly, how can I stop it?
Having worked for a bank a few years ago I am very careful with my information because I saw so many cases of identity fraud. I hate the thought of moving house and having these things sent to the new people with some of my personal details on it. Isn’t there some legal stance I can take? These things only make me NOT want to ever shop at Littlewoods ever in the future! Any advice? Thanks.
I just found this http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/08/31/npost31.xml
I am appalled that Royal Mail sells our details!!!
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