TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Mitigating Identity Theft

Re: Mitigating Identity Theft

mc (mc_no_spam@uga.edu)
Sat, 16 Apr 2005 10:46:15 -0400

Well said. I have felt for a long time that the term "identity theft"
is Orwellian Newspeak, designed to spread fear and obscure the real
situation. Someone who "steals my identity" is not (per se) stealing
anything from me at all. He is impersonating me, and this is not a
newly invented crime.

> Fraudulent transactions have nothing to do with the legitimate account
> holders. Criminals impersonate legitimate users to financial
> institutions. That means that any solution can't involve the account
> holders. That leaves only one reasonable answer: financial
> institutions need to be liable for fraudulent transactions.

Toucheé ...

I think the Orwellian term is being spread by the financial
institutions who want the impersonated people to feel that it's their
fault.

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: While it is true the crime is not your
fault, you are required, under the law to attempt to mitigate the
damage as much as possible. If something bad happens, you cannot just
sit there and let it go on; that is where the 'fifty dollars or until
we are notified' rule comes in. I don't think that is a bad rule,
atually. Fifty dollars is a drop in the bucket compared to the
damage that _could_ be caused, and if you are lucky, you can call on
the phone before any damage is done at all. PAT]

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