07/08/08 Identity Theft

It appears to be a classic case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. In this instance it's the United States Government. The threat of possible identity theft is a fear that haunts most persons; young or old, working or retired, and the fact is different agencies of our government can't seem to come to an agreement on security issues in the matter of social security numbers. The Federal Trade Commission warns people not to carry their social security card with them. The Pentagon and the Medicare Agency both want nearly 52 million Americans to carry their cards in their wallets at all times. Military member's identity cards and Medicare insurance cards both include the full number. As identity thieves become ever more adept at identity fraud, preventing identity theft needs to become a topmost priority. A new system for public sector businesses and government agencies which does not depend on individual social security numbers needs to be implemented, but the cost factor for such a change has both sectors slow to commit. Perhaps if they were held financially responsible for the identity theft damages of the more than 10 million victims each year they would be swifter to implement a much needed security reform.