*NEWS*145,000 PEOPLE FACE INTENTITY THEFT

[Anonymous]

More Than 145,000 People Face Identity Theft
Threat
ChoicePoint Inc. Is
Sending Warning Letters to Possible Victims

LOS ANGELES(Feb. 05)-About 145,000 people nationwide are
being notified that their personal information may have been stolen by thieves
who fraudulently signed up with a company that collects consumer data.

ChoicePoint Inc. announced Wednesday that it was sending
warning letters to 110,000 possible victims beyond the 35,000 in California,
where a unique state law requires such disclosure.

The Alpharetta, Ga.-based company said it decided to expand
its warnings after learning from Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigators that
the fraud ring appeared to be a national operation.

“We have no problem with notification,” ChoicePoint
spokesman James Lee said. “We do very strongly believe there needs to be a
broader public discussion.”

The ring, which operated for more than a year before it was
detected, has defrauded at least 750 people, according to sheriff’s detective
Duane Decker.

One suspect, Olatunji Oluwatosin, was arrested in October
and investigators believe at least several other people were involved.
Oluwatosin, a 41-year-old Nigerian national, was due in Los Angeles County
Superior Court on Thursday.

The thieves apparently used previously stolen identities to
create what appeared to be legitimate businesses seeking ChoicePoint accounts,
the company said. They opened about 50 accounts and received volumes of data on
consumers, including names and addresses, important identification numbers and
job histories.

The warning letter advises recipients to check their credit
reports.

The ChoicePoint attack could galvanize support for a
federal law protecting consumers from corporate security breaches. New
Hampshire, New York and Texas are considering similar bills, and Sen. Dianne
Feinstein, D-Calif., reintroduced legislation last month for a national version
of the California law.

ChoicePoint, formerly a division of the credit agency
Equifax but a separate company since 1997, has databases with approximately 19
billion public records, spokesman Chuck Jones said recently.

The company Compiles and sells personal information on U.S.
residents, such as motor vehicle and credit records, car and boat registrations,
liens and deed transfers and military records.

[Author]

February 18, 2005 at 11:13 AM