Identity Theft Goes Nuclear causing Fallout for Months

Not until 9 months after the theft, 1,500 people working
for the nuclear weapons unit of the Department of Energy
were notified their most sensitive personal information
had been stolen by identity thieves.

Evidently, the identity thieves used, in this instance,
high tech computer hacking methods to penetrate a center
in Albuquerque, New Mexico to expose amongst other data:

• Names
• Social Security Numbers (ssn)
• Birth Dates (dob)

The only way you would have ever learned of this
incident, is also how those effected by the theft were notified -
through the Congressional investigative hearings late last week
coming on the heels of the V.A. departments massive security
breach involving 26,500,000 veteran's social security numbers
lost.

The head of the security unit at the Albuqerque facility,
withheld information of the identity theft break in
from his boss for at least 8 months. This security unit, itself
set up in the year 2000 after fears of espionage by Chinese
agents, reported to the Energy Department administrator whom
was kept uniformed of this very serious security breach
involving the 1,500 staff member's identity data.

Once again, we find a similar reason why these type of
identity theft cases unnecessarily put millions of Americans
at risk of financial ruin. For the simple reason of job
security, the people who are entrusted to protect our most
sensitive personal information are either too embarrassed or
too incompetent to admit identity thieves have beaten all of
their security procedures and policies.

Compounding the identity theft problem by seriously delaying
public disclosure merely presents an even more
lucrative opportunity for fraud to occur against
the countless victims of identity theft.

Identity thieves understand this and have played on these fears
for years, we're just now as a country being forced to admit the
problem since 2005 (Choicepoint) and yet are struggling with an
effective national solution other than weakening the tougher
individual state laws requiring prompt consumer disclosure
and credit freeze rights.

So, our tip for today, is to take a measure of added preventative
insurance for your own personal well being and financial security.
Start by getting a "free" copy of your credit report to inspect it
for any signs of identity theft such as new accounts you did not
open. While conducting a review of your status against identity
theft, also get your public information profile checked out
too.

Identity thieves have been known to file false information to
law enforcement and medical insurance providers which will
minimally get your fired from your job and or or be suddenly
dropped off from healthcare medical coverage.