U.S. Gov't Knowingly Puts Americans at Risk
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This week alone, Congress has passed a bill enforcing stronger identity theft protection laws and the Senate has introduced a bill specifically aimed at reducing the identity theft risk among the elderly. In 2006, President Bush even appointed a task force specifically aimed at eradicating identity theft. So, it would seem that the United States government has a vested interest in helping Americans find freedom and protection from the fastest growing crime in America. But when you dig beneath the surface you may be surprised about what you find. There are at least three major ways in which the government fails to follow its own identity theft protection advice. Chances are there are far more that still hidden.
Three Ways the Government Fails to Follow ID Theft Protection Rules
1. The Internal Revenue Service. Each year, at tax time, the IRS requires all tax paying citizens to include their social security numbers on their checks when they submit their payment. This act poses a substantial risk to tax payers since both spouses’ names and home address are also included on the same check. If that check falls into the hands of a dishonest person either within the IRS, at the bank or at the post office, one family’s life can be thrown into financial ruin for decades to come. Everyone knows that social security number theft is the most dangerous form of identity theft because it gives people the power to open new accounts and obtain credit in someone else’s name.
Even the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)—the lead federal agent combating identity theft—repeatedly warns people to carefully guard their social security numbers. Yet, the IRS doesn’t comply with that warning and demands that Americans repeatedly put themselves at risk year after year.
2. Medicare and Medical. Statistics repeatedly indicate that America’s elderly are among those at greatest risk for having their identities stolen. Older people, who can do little to protect themselves, may be more prone to falling into identity theft traps. The government knows and acknowledges this, but it doesn’t prevent them from knowingly putting the elderly in high risk situations. The Medicare and Medical systems use a beneficiary’s social security number as his or her patient identification number and print the number (in full) on the front of the medical record card. On the back of the card clear instructions are printed: “Carry this card with you when you are away from home.” Here, one government agency is clearly contradicting another as the FTC constantly warns consumers to never carry their social security numbers with them in their wallets because the risks of theft are simply too high.
Those working within the Medicare and Medical system acknowledge that printing full social security numbers on medical record cards does present a risk for identity theft. But they claim they cannot afford to overhaul their system. So they urge concerned card holders to simply leave their cards at home. But, if card holders go to seek treatment and forget their social security numbers, they may find themselves paying out of pocket for their hospital visit.
3. The Military. All active duty, retired and reserve military personnel find themselves in a similar position to those in the Medicare and Medical systems. Government issued military ID cards also have the card holder’s social security number printed in full on the front. Between the Military and Medicare it is estimated that the federal government requires 52 million people to put themselves at risk each year by carrying their social security cards in their wallets.
In addition to having their social security numbers printed on their military ID cards, military personnel are also exposed to increased risks of identity theft because their social security numbers are also printed on dog tags, duffel bags and inside of some uniforms. The risk of identity theft in military is so high that the three major credit bureaus have now come up with what is know as an “active duty alert”. Such alerts allow deployed soldiers to have their credit frozen while they are overseas so that it cannot be misused by fraudsters while they are away. The government acknowledges that the ID cards put countless men and women at risk for identity theft and they have plans to overhaul the system—but that won’t take place until 2014.
Those who are being carelessly put at risk by the federal government are finding that it’s up to them to protect themselves. Many tax payers are outraged that the government won’t act quickly to repair these glaring holes in the system. Overhauling the Medicare system would cost roughly half a billion dollars—chump change when you consider the $750 billion package being arranged to bail out Wall Street this week.
If this upsets you, take the time to send an email or write a letter to one of your state representatives letting them know how important preventing identity theft is to you. In the meantime, protect yourself and those you love.
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