Free Republic

Complete Headline: Laptop containing Social Security numbers of South Carolina Health Insurance Pool members stolen in October Officials with the South Carolina Health Insurance Pool are investigating the theft of a laptop that contained Social Security numbers and names of people participating in the program, which provides insurance to people with pre-existing conditions.

Dear Military.com Member, As you may know, data was stolen from the Department of Veterans Affairs. This data contained identifying information on up to 26.5 million veterans and spouses, including names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth and some disability ratings. At this time, we encourage you to be vigilant and monitor your financial accounts to protect yourself against identity theft. We have put together the following information to help you: Read the latest from the Department of Veteran Affairs Important FAQs What happened at VA and how does it affect me?How do I know if information on me was...

ALBANY — Seven years after her wallet and Social Security card were stolen, Denise Curro is still trying to get her credit restored. ...............the 25-year-old woman continues to be hounded by creditors demanding payment for goods and services she never ordered — including 48 accounts with just one electric and gas utility in North Carolina. New York lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow state residents to freeze their credit files — thus blocking access to consumer-credit reports and preventing identity thieves from taking out loans and credit under their victims' name. "We're going to sit down to see how...

Social Security Number Verification Verify Social Security Numbers Over the Internet Overview There are two Internet verification options you can use to verify that your employee names and Social Security numbers match Social Security's records. You can: Verify up to 10 names and SSNs (per screen) online and receive immediate results. This option is ideal to verify new hires. OR Upload batch files of up to 250,000 names and SSNs and usually receive results the next government business day. This option is ideal if you want to verify an entire payroll data base or if you hire a large number...

It's a thorny problem that cuts to the heart of America's undocumented worker issue. Immigration opponents say it's another reason to shut the borders tight; immigrant rights groups point out that identity theft is an inevitable outcome of unfair labor laws that push foreign visitors deeper into the shadows

SAN FRANCISCO - A thief recently walked into a University of California, Berkeley office and swiped a computer laptop containing personal information about nearly 100,000 alumni, graduate students and past applicants, highlighting a continued lack of security that has increased society's vulnerability to identity theft. University officials waited until Monday to announce the March 11 crime, hoping that police would be able to catch the thief and reclaim the computer. When that didn't happen, the school publicized the theft to comply with a state law requiring consumers be notified whenever their Social Security numbers or other sensitive information have been...

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2006 – The Department of Veterans Affairs is revamping its data security procedures following last month's theft of a VA laptop computer that contained personal information of veterans and military personnel still in uniform, the secretary of the VA told a congressional committee today. "We will stay focused on these problems until they are fixed," said R. James Nicholson during hearings before the House Committee on Government Reform. "We will take direct and immediate action to address and alleviate affected people's concerns. We are accountable to our nations veterans and servicemembers." On May 3, the Montgomery County,...

To guard against identity theft, John and Mary Benbow of La Jolla took their first names off their personal checks, using their initials instead. They shred documents that show any of their identification numbers and carry credit cards only when they plan to use them. Whenever they see a doctor or go to the pharmacy, however, they must present Medicare cards inscribed with their Social Security numbers — numbers widely viewed as the keys to identify theft. Photocopies of the cards are routinely attached to their medical records, making the information available to anyone with access to their files. Seeking...

WASHINGTON -- A laptop containing the Social Security numbers and other personal data of 13,000 District of Columbia employees and retirees has been stolen, officials said. The computer was stolen Monday from the Washington home of an employee of ING U.S. Financial Services, said officials with the company, which administers the district's retirement plan. The company did not notify city employees of the theft until late Friday because it took officials several days to determine what information was stored on the laptop, ING spokeswoman Caroline Campbell said. The laptop was not password-protected and the data was not encrypted, Campbell said....

Data on 2.2M Active Troops Stolen From VA By HOPE YEN ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) - Nearly all active-duty military, Guard and Reserve members - about 2.2 million total - may be at risk for identity theft because their personal information was among those stolen from a Veterans Affairs employee last month. In a new disclosure Tuesday, VA Secretary Jim Nicholson said the agency was mistaken when it said over the weekend that up to 50,000 Navy and National Guard personnel were among the 26.5 million veterans whose names, birthdates and Social Security numbers were stolen on May 3. The...

"A hacker stole a file containing the names and Social Security numbers of 1,500 people working for the Energy Department's nuclear weapons agency. But in the incident last September, somewhat similar to recent problems at the Veterans Affairs Department, senior department officials were told only two days ago, officials told a congressional hearing Friday. None of the victims were notified, they said...."

DUBLIN, Calif. - Audra Schmierer's Social Security number really gets around. It has been used by at least 81 people in 17 states, most of them probably illegal immigrants trying to get work. The federal government took years to discover the number was being used illegally, but authorities took little action even then. "They knew what was happening but wouldn't do anything," said Schmierer, 33, a housewife in this affluent San Francisco suburb. "One name, one number, why can't they just match it up?"

Equifax: Laptop With Employee Data Stolen By HARRY R. WEBER AP Business Writer © 2006 The Associated Press ATLANTA — Equifax Inc., one of the nation's three major credit bureaus, said Tuesday a company laptop containing employee names and Social Security numbers was stolen from an employee who was traveling by train near London. The theft, which could affect as many as 2,500 of the Atlanta-based company's 4,600 employees, happened May 29 and all employees were notified June 7, spokesman David Rubinger said. Employee names and partial and full Social Security numbers were on the computer's hard drive, though Rubinger...