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Government To Fix Identity Theft?

Posted by Zonk on from the unlikely-at-best dept.

Cobb writes "With nearly 50 million identities compromised in the last 6 months, the powers that be are gearing up to fix the problem. 'Prosecutors and privacy experts say that what America needs is a coordinated national strategy. While 15 states require companies to tell consumers if their data has been compromised, there's still no national law.' A new study joins a host of other statistics -- some private, some government-sponsored -- attempting to quantify the size of the ID theft problem. There is no universal agreement on the size of the problem, on the way to count the victims, or even on how to define identity theft."

12 of 219 comments (clear)

  1. On the other hand... by Sheetrock · · Score: 5, Funny
    Imagine the savings to industry if we all shared the same identity.

    Databases are a pain to maintain.

    --

    Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.
    -- Dr. Spock, stardate 2822-3.




    1. Re:On the other hand... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      That would completley and utterly annihlate almost all small talk in social situations. ... I'm all for it!

  2. Let me be the first moron to say . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    . . . it's not identify "theft," it's identity infringement.

    ~~~

    1. Re:Let me be the first moron to say . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      darn you, you stole my identity! i am the real Anonymous Coward!

    2. Re:Let me be the first moron to say . . . by HermanAB · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, some people are just identity challenged. You got to be politically correct about these sensitive issues.

      --
      Oh well, what the hell...
  3. Government to outlaw crime! by PaxTech · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yep, that'll help. Except for all those criminals who don't obey the law.

    Ronald Reagan was right, the most frightening words in the English language are "Hi, I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."

    --
    All movements for social change begin as missions, evolve into businesses, and end up as rackets.
  4. Re:A thought ... by MyLongNickName · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe he's more credit worth than you are? ;)

    --
    See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
  5. Re:A thought ... by Have+Blue · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, your dog should learn not to click on those emails from "Ebay".

  6. Re:The first step is to identify the problem. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Someone steals your credit card number and orders porn? That's no longer credit card fraud, that's identity theft.

    Someone forges a check against your bank account for porn? That's no longer check fraud, that's identity theft.

    Somebody ordering a pizza in your name, because they can't afford porn? That's no longer a phone prank, that's identity theft.


    So, you're saying the answer to identity theft is free porn?
  7. Re:A thought ... by magarity · · Score: 2, Funny

    They could start by not sending credit card offers to my dog.

    Do you ever fill them out for him and send them back with a pawprint on the signature line? Put "home security specialist" as his job title and estimate how much you spend per annum on dog food as his salary.

  8. Re:The first step is to identify the problem. by taustin · · Score: 2, Funny

    So, you're saying the answer to identity theft is free porn?

    I think the answer to every problem involves free porn. I think we need a Cabinet level position, to advise the President. A Department of Porn, to use our tax dollars to produce top quality porn.

    I mean, really, think about how much less spam we'd have if every American taxpayer were entitles to top quality, government produced porn.

  9. Re:Well, we all know... by phallstrom · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm thinking maybe... just maybe... a national ID card might help out here...

    Yeah... yeah! Who's with me?!?!?