| It Could Happen to You
Laptop stolen from National Mortgage May 11, 2004 By PATRICK CROWLEY
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| What is it about thieves and laptop computers loaded with sensitive information about mortgage customers? Another mortgage company must explain to its customers that their private data — including social security numbers and information about credit card accounts — is now in the hands of criminals.For the third time in the last six months a laptop computer containing personal financial information about consumers has been stolen.
This time the heist came during a break-in at National Mortgage in Boise, Idaho. A computer with names of about 200 customers was taken from the company’s office, manager Kimberly Knowlton confirmed. Wells Fargo has twice been stung by computer theft. In November, a computer containing the names of Wells Fargo customers was taken from the office of a California consultant working for the company. An arrest was made and the computer was recovered. Then in February, a rental car driven by Wells Fargo employees was stolen from a convenience store near St. Louis. A laptop computer with confidential information about hundreds of customers — including their names, addresses and Social Security numbers — was in the trunk of the stolen automobile. In the Idaho case, National Mortgage’s Knowlton said by phone she immediately wrote to all the customers who names were on the stolen computer. She also contacted the Boise Police, which is investigating the case, and the Idaho Attorney General’s office. Kriss Bievens, a spokesperson for Idaho Attorney General’s Lawrence Wasden, said anyone whose name is on a stolen computer should call credit bureaus, which can put a fraud alert on the name and Social Security of the customers. “There is always a concern that a computer has information on it that could be used for identity theft,” Bievens said in a phone interview. “Identity theft is a serious and growing problem nationwide and in Idaho,” Wasden says in a statement posted on his offices Web site. “If you have been a victim of identity theft, I encourage you to contact your local police department or sheriff’s office.” Wasden said victims of identity theft usually “have no idea” their name has been stolen until they are denied credit, turned down for a job or receive a bill for purchases you did not make.” “By that time your good name and credit history may be ruined,” he said. Identity thieves don’t typically use a victims checks or credit cards. “Instead, they will use your identification information to obtain new credit cards, open checking accounts, get a fake driver’s license or Social Security card, rent an apartment and, in some cases, obtain a job,” Wasden said. The victim is left with the bills run up by the identity thief, he said. Wasden said victims of identity theft should contact the three primary credit-reporting bureaus – Equifax, Experian (formerly TRW) and TransUnion – to place a fraud alert on their credit report. Contact information for the bureaus can be found on the Federal Trade Commission’s Web site, www.ftc.gov. “This will help prevent thieves from obtaining new credit in your name,” Wasden said. In some instances consumers can file lawsuits against a credit bureau for failing to block incorrect information that was created as result of an identity theft. According to the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center in San Diego, there were 7 million victims of identity theft in 2003, according to information posted on the organization’s Web site. |
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Patrick Crowley is a political reporter and columnist and former business writer for The Cincinnati Enquirer. Email Patrick at: pcrowley@enquirer.com |
