Elderly seen as easiest
ID theft targets

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America, Anne Deschene of the Better Business Bureau told a large group of residents concerned about their own security last night.

FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Anne Deschene, president of the Better Business Bureau in Hawaii, spoke last night at Windward Community College about ID theft.

And they had reasons to worry. Hawaii is No. 1 on that list.

According to a Federal Trade Commission report, credit card and bank account fraud accounted for more than 75 percent of identity theft cases in Hawaii during 2002.

Deschene, who was the guest speaker at a free Windward Community College-sponsored workshop to inform the community about identity theft, said the elderly are the most frequently targeted group because they often live alone and are easy to contact because they're often at home.

"Identity theft victims are not necessarily uneducated people," Deschene said. "Thieves prey on the fact that victims are not paying attention and that they are very trusting."

During the seminar, Deschene provided information to prevent identity theft and advice for possible victims of it.

While Deschene gave examples of common scams such as business misrepresentation and unsolicited mailings, many of the audience members silently nodded in agreement.

"You shouldn't be afraid of these criminals, but you should be cautious and aware of red flags," Deschene said. "It is your responsibility to protect your personal information and be skeptical of anyone asking for it."

Deschene explained that anyone who suspects identity theft should take certain precautions.

"They don't necessarily strike immediately," Deschene said. "There is more money in stealing and selling personal information than just using it."

Earlier this month, approximately 60,000 state workers were put at risk for identity theft when the Department of Education employee database containing many of their personal files was breached.

"I was very worried since I received a letter from the state informing me about the break in," said a 53-year-old Board of Education employee who refused to be named for personal security reasons. "Now I'm going to look into all my credit card accounts and visit the (Better Business Bureau) Web site for more information."

"My friend's ID was stolen over 10 years ago and she still has problems," said a 57-year-old Kaneohe resident who also refused to be named for personal security reasons. "I was especially concerned about my safety since I have a very common name and I heard about the recent MasterCard break in that put more than 40 million card-holders of all brands at risk."

Yesterday, MasterCard International's team of security experts identified that the breach occurred at a Tucson-based company that processes transactions on behalf of financial institutions.