Salem-News.com Identity Theft articles

OSU Bookstore Online Security Breach Under Investigation

OSU says their Bookstore has hired an outside agency to help with its own investigation of the security breach.

(CORVALLIS, Ore.) - Oregon State Police say they are investigating the theft of personal information from as many as 4,700 online customers of the OSU Bookstore who used credit cards to purchase items.

In March of this year, OSP began investigation into a report that approximately 30 OSU Bookstore customers' personal information may have been compromised following online orders.

ID Experts` Five Steps to Prevent Medical ID Theft

Protect your medical records, as well as your pocketbook, against identity thieves.

(BEAVERTON, Ore.) - Medical identity theft won't just harm your pocketbook, but could cost you your health. Unlike traditional identity theft, the consequences of medical identity go beyond the financial costs.

They can impact your health due to inaccurate information being documented on medical records, potentially leading to future misdiagnosis and other complications.

Senate Approves Legislation to Tighten Identification Requirements

Legislation will require legal presence to obtain Oregon driver’s license.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Earlier today the Oregon Senate approved SB 1080, legislation that will help prevent identity fraud in Oregon by tightening the requirements to receive Oregon driver’s licenses and identification.

SB 1080 will require the Department of Motor Vehicles to verify social security numbers with the U.S. Social Security Administration before issuing an Oregon driver’s license, identification card, or driver’s permit.

USDA Narrows List of Individuals Whose Private Data was Exposed

The USDA will offer free credit monitoring for one year to people whose private identification information was exposed.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has narrowed to 63,000 the number of people whose private identification information was accessible to the public on a government-wide website and who will therefore be eligible to register for free credit monitoring services.

The 63,000 people were awarded funds through the Farm Service Agency (FSA) or USDA Rural Development (RD).

The USDA became aware of the potential exposure of such information on April 13th, when USDA was notified by a recipient of USDA funding that she was able to ascertain identifying information by viewing the website.

Salem Police Seek to End Identity Theft/Fraud Ring

The crimes took place in Oregon and California, at this time the losses are in excess of $100,000.

(SALEM) - Salem Police and Marion County Sheriff's deputies are investigating multiple forgeries and identity thefts that are related and involve a group of Hispanic suspects traveling through Oregon.

Police Spokesman Lt. Bill Kohlmeyer says that in September and October 2006, these suspects were involved in burglaries of construction related businesses in Aumsville, Klamath Falls, Oregon City, Salem, and Stayton, "In each of these incidents payroll checkstock was stolen from the company, forged and negotiated at the account holders' banks...

Oregon Attorney General and Silverton Police Chief Sponsor August Public Forum Focusing on Fighting ID Theft

The forum featuring Oregon's top law enforcement officer and an expert who recently completed 6 months training police in Iraq, it should offer valuable insight geared toward ending a huge worldwide problem.

(SILVERTON) - Silverton Chief of Police Rick Lewis and Attorney General Hardy Myers want Silverton area residents to know how to protect themselves and their families from the fastest growing crime in the world: Identity Theft.

The two law enforcement agencies will convene a free, public forum on Identity Theft on Wednesday, August 16th at 7:00 PM in the Silverton Council Chambers, 421 South Water, Silverton.

Jan Margosian, consumer information coordinator for the Oregon Department of Justice, will represent Attorney General Hardy Myers’ office, focusing on the many ways individuals, their families and small business can prevent being victims of identity theft.

Businesses And Governmental Agencies Contribute to The Identity Theft Problem

A few facts you may not know about identity theft.

(SALEM) - Most people think of an identity thief as an unemployed drug-crazed “Methhead” who steals your personal information from your home, car, mail, garbage or computer. This statement is only partially true.

The relationship between methamphetamine and identity theft is true. Over 90% of the persons I arrest for fraud or identity theft are involved with methamphetamine. I believe this arrest statistic would be true anywhere in the United States.

I recently talked with a person in prison who had been the mastermind of a major identity theft ring operating throughout Oregon. I asked him about of the relationship between “meth” and the people who commit identity theft. He told me, “They are as husband and wife.”

Stolen Laptop With Veteran`s Personal Data Recovered

A fishy story at best according to many veterans, government sources say the employee who facilitated the alleged thefts by taking the millions of documents home, did not lose his job over it.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - The stolen laptop computer that held personal data on more than 26.5 million veterans and active-duty, National Guard and reserve members has been found, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary James Nicholson announced Thursday.

The computer was recovered Wednesday, and is now undergoing three to five weeks of forensic tests by the FBI to determine whether information has been copied or compromised in any way.

Governor Pledges `Every Possible Action` to Minimize Records Loss

Kulongoski says he will work to protect consumers from ID fraud, and hold criminals accountable.

(SALEM) - In response to the recent attack on state taxpayers` records by a `Trojan horse` virus, Governor Ted Kulongoski issued the following statement Tuesday:

`I was angry when I learned that a former employee of the Department of Revenue had illegally downloaded pornography on a state-owned computer, infecting the Department`s records with a Trojan horse virus. Though the Department acted correctly in immediately firing that employee, the virus captured some taxpayers` records, resulting in the potential compromise of more than 1,300 Oregon taxpayers` personal information.

Oregon Attorney General Releases Top-10 Consumer Complaint List

(Salem) - Attorney General Hardy Myers has announced his annual Top 10 Consumer Complaint List and three new website features to help keep Oregonians apprised of the latest scams. The complaint list doubles as an educational tool and a checklist, for the AG's office. `With another year of consumer challenges behind us, it is always good to look back at who caused the most problems for consumers and what did we learn from those complaints,` Myers explained.