Preparing to Fight the Identity Thieves

By now you have probably heard of the massive theft of customer financial information. It would be nice to think that the Choicepoint and Bank of America incidents were the end of the story but we all know that future incidents are likely.

What can you do?
The scary thing about these recent events is that the data thieves now probably have a good, clean set of customer profiles. But there are things you can do. For example, if someone wants to open an account using a stolen driver's license number, they'll need to create a counterfeit card. Make sure your all of your front line staff have access to the I.D. Checking Guide.

They didn't get everything.
Remember, the stolen data will not present a totally complete picture of the prospective applicant. Sure, the name, address, and social security number may be accurate, but can they list recent addresses or alternate phone numbers.

Be vigilant. You need to stay one step ahead.