FACTA, HIPAA, GLB - Business Compliance is the Law

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8,000 Patients at Risk of Identity Theft
2007-09-23 15:06:00
A temp worker of Texas Health Resources, based in Arlington, Texas steals the identity of 8,000 patients. The temp had been working in the THR Dallas business office since May 2007. Over the past 5 months, this worker was pilfering patient identities. On September 5, THR's compliance hotline was... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
More About: Identity Theft , Risk , Patients , Theft , Identity

Identity Theft Is a Major Life Event and Legal Resources are a Daily Need
2007-09-18 05:19:00
Let?s face it, if anyone in this country faces a major medical emergency and they go to an emergency room, they will get the help they need ? even without health insurance. However, if anyone in this country has their identity stolen ? driver?s license, social security number, medical insurance... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
More About: Life , Daily , Event , Resources , Legal

OOPS, They Did It Again! Third Breach for Pfizer, Inc.
2007-09-07 15:19:00
Perhaps the pharmaceutical giant?s single-minded goal - your health - would explain why they?ve had three security breaches in the past three months and unfortunately this is becoming all too common for companies. This isn?t to say that Pfizer isn?t cooperating with authorities, but like so many... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
More About: Breach , Brea , Third

Indentity Theft Through County Public Records [Digg]
2007-08-29 02:34:00
I recently did some research to see what kind of personal data I could get from a search on the Bexar County Clerk's website, as a result of a news story that aired in Illinois about a man who is convinced that his identity was stolen based on personal data that was posted to his county clerk's website.
More About: Public , Digg , Theft , Records

Indentity Theft Through County Public Records
2007-08-26 17:59:00
Though I would agree that sometimes access to county public records helps to locate vital information, such as the name and address of a landlord, for which a property manager may refuse to provide, but is this access an open market to identity thieves? I recently did some research to see what... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
More About: Public , County , Theft , Records , Cord

Attention: CPAs and Attorneys
2007-08-25 02:57:00
I don't know if it's called "pass the buck", but many of the company's I speak with think YOU are the ones responsible, hence assuming liability, for ensuring business compliance regarding identity theft for their companies. We'd like the opportunity to remove that assumption from your commercial... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Attention: Parents, Partners and Spouses!
2007-08-18 18:37:00
They don’t care about your age, gender or necessarily if you have money in the bank, the violation caused by identity theft can wreak havoc on your entire family. Good Housekeeping’s Amy Engeler shares the stories of two families who have experienced identity theft at a whole new level. The ID... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
More About: Parents , Partners , Attention , Ouse , Spouse

Do You Treat Your Employees As An Asset to Your Business?
2007-08-18 17:43:00
It’s a perfunctory question in this day and age of Enrons and businesses looking to cut costs from their bottom lines. I am of an age where I remember companies used to treat their loyal employees with respect and had sincere concern for their welfare. Employment contracts used to exist where today... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
More About: Business , Employees , Treat , Asset , Sine

Social Security Numbers Fraud on the Rise [Digg]
2007-08-10 22:20:00
The damage resulting from stolen Social Security numbers can be devastating to more than just the victims of the stolen cards. We are all responsible for being proactive in this fight against identity theft.
More About: Fraud , Social Security , Digg

Social Security Numbers Fraud on the Rise
2007-08-10 20:34:00
Identity theft and illegal immigrant workers are becoming an increasing trend in the war against fraud. As these illegal aliens become more desperate to obtain citizenship, knowing the risks of immigration reform are on the way, these folks are willing to do whatever it takes to ?appear? as... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
More About: Security , Social , Fraud , Social Security , Numbers

Dumpster Diving for Punishable Intent
2007-08-05 22:17:00
Instead of dumpster diving for malicious intent, Texas' most famous dumpster diver, AG Greg Abbott, is diving for punishable intent. The Attorney General?s latest undercover rampage has been posed on Lifetime Fitness. Out of the 11 Minnesota-based health spas located in Texas, Plano, Allen, Flower Mound, Colleyville, Dallas and Garland were all allegedly involved in disposing of personal information in dumpsters outside each of their gyms. This is just the lastest of a dozen or so businesses which have been sued for mishandling non-public information. Lifetime Fitness faces charges of $25,000 per violation of the Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act (DTPA) for repeatly negating training of their employees on the proper procedures for handling consumer information. In addition, Lifetime Fitness faces federal charges of up to $50,000 per violation of the President?s Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act.Consumers of these locations are urged to monitor their bank...
More About: Diving , Ving , Isha , Dumps , Unis

Local T.V News Investigators Bust School for Breaking the Law
2007-08-01 09:46:00
It?s a very sad story, but it may not be over just yet. San Antonio ?s KSAT 12 Defenders went to an auction and bought 100 computers that had belonged to several campuses within SAISD. One of the computers contained personal information, such as a teacher?s address and phone number. These computers never had a process for disposal in place and indirectly exposed the information to potential thieves. The question is - will Texas government charge SAISD with breaking the law by not having a compliance policy in place, at each offending campus. Though they could be charged by the State for not complying with the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA), they probably won?t be charged for a federal crime. However, Texas is a test state for charging the most serious offenders. So, by next year, if your organization is involved in a security breach, your company may just find themselves in Federal court.Though the detail of the information that was found was not disclosed,...
More About: News , School , Local , Bust

Compliance: Can We Be Honest Here?
2007-07-28 15:49:00
In talking with businesses every day, attempting to educate them on the risks of ID theft and the vulnerabilities their businesses face, I hear how overwhelmed they are, with an urgency to get off the phone. I often hear one of two responses:?We have our policies in place and don?t need further assistance.?OR?We?re not interested.?So, let?s be honest here. ?If your business has a good set of policies and procedures, and operates in an ethical and efficient manner? sorry, that?s not good enough?, writes Alan Zeichick of InfoWorld, in a 2005 compliance guide, in response to the preparation for new regulatory laws about securing data and non-public information. Here we are in 2007, and the lack of urgency about needing to understand these federal laws is past due. Many company contacts often convey to me that those issues fall on someone else?s head, i.e. our IT department, our lawyers, our PEO, but if we?re being honest, the law requires your company to have a Security Compliance Offi...
More About: Honest

Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act of 2007
2007-07-20 16:27:00
The federal government is proposing an additional resolution to combat identity theft in both private and public sectors. Today, the Department of Justice handed over to Congress their proposed legislation for a revised "Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act of 2007". This plan, adding to the arsenal of already tough laws in place to combat the increasingly expensive white collar crime, was a recommendation from the contents of the President?s Task Force on Identity Theft, released in April 2007.In addition to helping victims recover more quickly from the significant time and cost involved in restoring their identity, The Department of Justice states, ?The new legislation would also close gaps in the current identity theft, and aggravated identity theft statutes. Both of these statutes are limited to stealing the identity of an individual, and do not specifically address the misuses of identification of a corporation or organization.?As thieves become more sophisticated and...