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MyPublicInfo Releases Latest Data on Identity Security Breaches
Second Survey of 37,000 New Subscribers Yields Bigger Results Than Prior Survey
| Source: MyPublicInfo
ARLINGTON, VA--(Marketwire - November 6, 2007) - MyPublicInfo, Inc. (www.MyPublicInfo.com), the leading
expert in identity scoring and an innovative provider of identity theft
protection services and monitoring solutions for consumers, today released
data on potential identity theft threats. Subscribers of IdentitySweep, MyPublicInfo's cutting-edge
identity protection and identity scoring technology, found many instances
of their personal information openly available on the Web, such as home
addresses, phone numbers, and personal e-mail accounts. Subscribers were
alarmed to find their entire credit card numbers and Social Security
numbers viewable online. MyPublicInfo, Inc. conducted
research on data from 37,000 subscribers. A staggering 81% had their full
address disclosed online, while 57% found their name and phone number on
the Internet. 41% of IdentitySweep subscribers found
their e-mail addresses in one or several locations online. 2.7% discovered
that their credit card number was exposed, and 11% of the surveyed groups
were shocked to find their Social Security number had some evidence of
possible manipulation or misuse. Perhaps the most disturbing outcome of
this survey, conducted in October 2007, is that the results have jumped 12%
from the previous MyPublicInfo survey, conducted in December 2006.
"The outcome of this survey confirms our worst fears. We believe that
consumers need to proactively manage their identity to avert identity
crimes and crises," explained identity scoring expert Pat Dane, CRO and
founder of MyPublicInfo. "We
knew there was a gap in consumer identity protection that needed to be
addressed. Electronic identity theft scams have attained a very high level
of sophistication that cannot be cured by pulling a credit report once or
twice a year. With IdentitySweep, our clients have their backs covered
online, 24/7."
IdentitySweep protects
consumers' identities in five innovative ways:
1. IdentitySweep includes a
leading-edge identity fraud detection technology that scans billions of
public records for suspicious activity associated with identity fraud,
including attempts to create a synthetic identity, such as combining one
person's name with another person's Social Security number. The service
analyzes the suspicious activity to provide an identity score, similar to a
"risk score," that indicates how much and for how long a consumer's
identity has been compromised.
2. IdentitySweep searches
Internet newsgroups, search engines, blogs and hundreds of thousands of
chat rooms and Web sites looking for personal and financial information. It
instantly notifies consumers by e-mail of any suspicious activity related
to their personal information before the consumer is victimized. This
technology works much faster than a typical credit fraud and credit report
monitoring services, which can only alert a consumer after they become a
victim.
3. IdentitySweep scans the
online directories that list a consumer's information and requests removal
of that information to prevent abuse by telemarketers and identity thieves.
4. IdentitySweep comes with a zero deductible $25,000 I D Theft Insurance
policy that reimburses the consumer for most out of pocket expenses from an
identity breach including lost wages.
5. IdentitySweep's "Recovery
Butler" offers the industry's most comprehensive Recovery services
including filling out all forms, documents, notifying all 3 credit bureaus,
placing fraud alerts, and ordering hard copy credit reports for Identity
Theft victims along with assisting the victim in reviewing their credit
files for accuracy.
For more information on IdentitySweep, please visit www.identitysweep.com.
About MyPublicInfo
MyPublicInfo, Inc. was founded in Arlington, Virginia in 2004 and is the
leading provider of consumer identity scoring and identity management
services. MyPublicInfo sells the most comprehensive consumer products
available through www.IdentitySweep.com and www.MyPublicInfo.com, partner
web sites, and other marketing channels. For more information or orders,
please go to www.mypublicinfo.com