ID Theft News

Supreme Court Limits Reach of Federal ID Theft Law

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday narrowed when identity theft can be included as part of federal criminal charges. In the case (Dubin v. U.S.), the high court found that not every use of another’s identification means there has been an …

Ringleader Pleads Guilty to Scheme Using Stolen IDs to Buy Vehicles

A Massachusetts man described by authorities as the ringleader of a group that used stolen identities to buy multiple vehicles worth a total of more than $1.5 million has pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft charges, federal prosecutors said. …

19th Person Indicted in Scheme Using Stolen IDs to Defraud Rideshare Companies

A nineteenth co-conspirator was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston this week in connection with a nationwide conspiracy to open fraudulent driver accounts with rideshare and delivery service companies, law enforcement officials reported. Officials said Caio Felipe Oliveira …

It’s Not Easy to Pin Identity Theft on a Specific Data Breach

Equifax 2017. Marriott 2018. Capital One 2019. Data breaches through hacking attacks are distressingly common these days, and personal details about you can lead to identity theft, such as credit cards and loans in your name. But it’s hard to …

Credit Firm Experian Dealing with Fallout from T-Mobile Customer Breach

Experian, the world’s biggest credit data firm, could face fines and class-action lawsuits as well as reputational damage from the data breach at its U.S. business, according to analysts covering the company. Experian’s shares fell about 4.5 percent to their …

Data Stolen on 900 Southern California Mental Health Patients

Authorities say personal information on 900 Los Angeles County mental health patients was stolen but it’s unclear if any of it was misused for ID theft. The Los Angeles Times reported documents with Social Security numbers, birth dates, medical and …

MasterCard Offers Zero Liability on ATM Transactions

MasterCard Inc., the world’s second largest debit and credit card company, said it is extending its zero liability policy in the United States to include all PIN-based and ATM transactions. Zero liability protection means the account holder will not be …

Security Expert Practices ‘Cyber-Hygiene’ to Guard Against ID Theft

You won’t find security expert Michael Chertoff doing silly everyday things like using public WiFi, logging in with the same password on every site he uses, clicking on dubious links or falling for a phishing scam. Chertoff, former secretary of …

Attorney General Supports National Notification Standard for ID Theft

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, citing the recent massive data theft at retailer Target Corp., urged Congress on Monday to enact a national standard for notifying consumers about such breaches. “This would empower the American people to protect themselves if …

ID Theft Complaints Up in Illinois, AG Says

The Illinois Attorney General’s office says the number of identity theft complaints received by her office climbed 18 percent last year. Lisa Madigan says her office received about 3,000 complaints in 2013, up from about 2,500 the year before. They …