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Law Enforcement, Consumer, Business and Government Reps Seek Keys to Lock Up the 'Evil Twin' at Governor's Summit on Identity Theft Solutions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 4, 2005
SACRAMENTO - A diverse group of prosecutors, investigators, business people, consumer advocates and government leaders from across California convened to take on the nation's top consumer crime today at the Governor's first "Summit on Identity Theft Solutions: Locking Up the Evil Twin."
Summit participants were urged to develop better methods for fighting identity theft, a high-reward, low-risk crime that costs U.S. businesses and victims more then $50 billion annually. Last year, about one million Californians were among the more than nine million consumer victims nationwide. The Federal Trade Commission has listed identity theft as the top consumer fraud complaint for the fifth straight year.
California is a leader in offering rights and resources to identity theft victims and consumers. The California Department of Consumer Affairs' Office of Privacy Protection is the only state agency in the country dedicated to consumer privacy. The state also provides unique consumer rights and protections, such as requiring individuals to be notified when security violations may have compromised their personal information, according to Charlene Zettel, Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs.
"Our Office of Privacy Protection is a great resource for Californians who want to defend themselves against identity theft, or know what to do if they are victimized. We continue to advise consumers and organizations on what they can do to help prevent identity theft," said Zettel. "But no single resource can fight identity theft alone. It takes a team effort, and that's what we have at this summit."
Despite available rights and resources, the law enforcement community continues to report challenges in tracking down and prosecuting identity thieves. Summit participants are seeking to clarify the obstacles to capturing and prosecuting identity thieves, and to propose strategies for overcoming them.
The summit featured four panel discussions, with perspectives from business, government, consumers and law enforcement, as well as an Identity Theft Technology Expo.
The Governor's first Summit on Identity Theft Solutions: Locking Up the Evil Twin was presented by the California State and Consumer Services Agency, the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Office of Privacy Protection. The California District Attorneys Association hosted the event, held at the Sacramento Convention Center. Event organizers expected attendance to top 500.
For more information on the summit agenda and speakers, go to the event Web site, www.idtheftsummit.ca.gov. For Office of Privacy Protection Resources and other consumer-assistance information, visit the Department of Consumer Affairs' Web site at www.dca.ca.gov.
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