Financial Privacy Now!

The ChoicePoint company maintains a vast database of information on millions of Americans, drawn from public documents and other sources. It made headlines back in March because crooks gained access to these sensitive records, including Social Security numbers, placing an estimated 145,000 Americans at risk of identify theft. There are many other information brokers like ChoicePoint that hold sensitive consumer data and are equally vulnerable to identity theft.

The ChoicePoint scandal is a wake up call for the need to clamp down on the largely unregulated information broker industry. Congress is finally beginning to consider new rules to protect consumers.

Act now! Urge Congress to support the Information Protection & Security Act to ensure that information brokers must have in place and enforce tough security practices to prevent thieves from stealing your identity. The Senate bill number is S.500 IS and in Congress it is bill H.R.1080 1H. There is also legislation in the New York State Assembly.

Please write to your Assembly member asking him or her to support the Credit Report Security Freeze Law A.2785.

While I see no similar legislation introduced in the State Senate, this certainly should be a non-partisan issue as it affects everyone. These thieves are so brazen they would even steal the id of a legislator.

Take Action: Use the letter below to write to your Congressmember, then send a letter of your own to your Assemblymember.

- Adele Bender,
Queens Coordinator

_____________________________________________________________

July 2005

The Honorable ___________________________
House of Representatives
Washington, D. C. 20515

Dear Congress Member_____________________:

I am dismayed, to put it mildly that companies like ChoicePoint can hold information about me without any legal standards as to whether or how that information is protected.

What is needed is a federal law to impose security standards and oversight on information brokers. I also have a right to look at what these companies know about me and to correct that information if it is wrong.

I ask therefore that you please support the Information Protection and Security Act, H.R. 1080, that would impose standards on the information brokering business and protect individual rights with respect to personally identifiable information.

Nobody is immune from Identity Theft. These thieves are brazen and could target anyone’s personal credit information.

Please pass this legislation as soon as possible. This is an urgent matter. It concerns everyone.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Name___________________________

Address__________________________

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