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Calling for Accountability of the Federal Trade Commission

If you didn't already know, I'm pretty mad at the FTC. Though ID theft has been the top consumer complaint for the last 6 years running, though they have put a large amount of resources into their consumer education campaign (on their anti-ID theft website for example), though the chairwoman of the FTC, Deborah Platt Majoras, co-chaired the Presidential ID Theft Taskforce, they have completely failed to educate customers about Credit Security Freezes. I sent a member of the FTC's media relations department an e-mail requesting to know how the FTC is doing their job if they won't promote credit freezes, but, of course, I got no reply. Therefore, I'm going to see what happens if I contact the Government Accountability Office instead. Their job is to report any agency that is wasting tax-payer money right? So this should be right up their alley. Here's the e-mail I sent them:
To whom it may concern, I am a computer security professional who has worked to bring more attention to the ID theft issue and viable solutions to the problem. I have long been frustrated that the Federal Trade Commission has failed to propose or recommend the one most valuable tool in combating ID theft that there is. Credit Security Freezes, which have been enacted in many states, allow customers to lock their credit files under a special code or password that only the consumer knows. Once frozen, anyone who would attempt ID theft (in situations that require a credit check) would fail no matter how much of the consumer's personal information that the thief has. Freezes are fast, simple, effective, low cost, and provide peace of mind. The only people who don't want to see this in action are the credit reporting companies themselves who make millions by selling the information they gather to as many people as they can, thief or otherwise. But the question wasn't "how can we keep credit reporting company's profit lines intact", it's "how can we curb or eliminate ID theft". My point in contacting you is that the FTC is well aware of how important Freezes are, but does not include much (if any) information on them on the FTC's website or in their training and public education efforts. Further, the presidential ID theft task force co-chaired by the chairwoman of the FTC included a very small negatively worded summary of Freezes as being something that would be more likely to "inconvenience the consumer". The FTC is wasting millions of dollars, wasting our time, and not doing their job by ignoring this simple solution to what has been the top consumer complaint for the last 6 years (and counting). Please let me know if your agency has authority to call them to task for their unconscionable waste of money and efforts and, if not, please let me know who does. Thank you for your time. Jeremy Duffy CISSP
2007 Oct 09 No response. Not that I'm surprised.

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|INDEX|next: The Consequences of Posting Online
Online Addiction: From gambling to surfing and online gaming, people can destroy themselves and others with online addiction.
Posting Online: The Internet never forgets anything completely. Make sure you don't make mistakes that will stick with you for the rest of your life.
Protecting Photos: The Internet never forgets anything completely. Make sure you don't make mistakes that will stick with you for the rest of your life.
Getting Tricked: You WERE doing fine... until someone convinced you to install a virus or give away your passwords. Don't fall for it!
Account Hijacking: One of the most common security risks today is people getting their accounts taken over and then used to trick their friends and family.
Trusting Webservices: An online service promises they'll 'Never abuse or misuse your data' and you believe them? Think again.

... or check out any of my other guides and tutorials by clicking here!

Online Addiction

Concerned about online addiction? You should be. Learn the types, the signs, and the preventions.

[Click for full description]

The Consequences of Posting Online

It's fun to post online. What you think, what you feel. But words typed and posted on the Internet can come back to bite you more than anything you could say with your mouth.

[Click for full description]

Photo Safety

You can reveal far more than you intended when you post a photo online. Don't make a critical mistake and check your photos before they're online.

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Tricks and Scams

Just because you won't willing give up data doesn't mean that I can't trick you out of it. Don't fall for these well known tricks!

[Click for full description]

Account Hijacking

One of the newest threats we face is the risk of someone getting control of your online account and using it against you and the people you know. Do everything you can to prevent that from happening!

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Trusting Companies

Store, online or off, are not known for being fair and helpful unless it benefits them to be so. Good deals exist, but many are bad deals in disguise. It's not in your best interests to be too trusting with any of them.

[Click for full description]