SARASOTA, Fla. 8/7/2008 11:03:03 PM
Identity Theft Protection Expert and One You Security: Research Shows Consumers Misplacing Blame for Identity Theft
(One You Security) A large majority of U.S. consumers think personal irresponsibility is the main cause of identity theft, reported ePaymentsnews Network in July. But the finding, from Javelin Strategy & Research, really indicates that consumers without access to fraud prevention services are unaware of how little control they in fact have over their own information, said Robert Siciliano, the widely televised and quoted identity theft protection expert and chief security analyst for One You Security, LLC. Citing additional research, Siciliano suggested that firms stand much to gain by offering data breach victims an effective fraud prevention service, which One You Security provides.
"Consumers misunderstand the issue of identity theft and what causes it," said Siciliano. "No matter how careful consumers are with it, their information is already out there for any thief who wants it. The most responsible thing for them to do is to enroll in a service such as One You's, which renders their Social Security numbers useless to the thieves who otherwise would use the digits to commit financial fraud. In fact, an institution itself can generate a great deal of good will among its customers by offering One You's fraud prevention to them."
Subscribers to One You Security receive newsletters and special alerts from Siciliano (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLylU5xflx8). Through these, they get the latest information on data breaches and learn more about identity theft prevention. Chief security analyst for One You Security and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report's editorial board, Siciliano regularly discusses data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC's "Today Show," FOX News Network and elsewhere.
According to a recent news item in ePaymentsnews Network, a survey by Javelin Strategy & Research found 88 percent of U.S. consumers pointing to personal irresponsibility as the main cause of identity theft. Another study, released by Javelin in June, looked at the perceptions of consumers whose data had fallen prey to security breaches. Fifty-five percent of these consumers expressed diminished confidence in the breached organization’s ability to protect and manage their personal data, according to Javelin's news release, which went on to note that 56 percent of these consumers favor a solution that prevents fraud:
http://www.javelinstrategy.com/2008/06/23/debix_06_23_08/#more-1187
Furthermore, 55 percent of breach victims who were offered a fraud protection solution were more satisfied with the institution’s handling of the incident than were those consumers who were not offered anything.
"How can consumers expect to be personally responsible when a company loses to theft the Social Security numbers they were required to provide in the first place?" asked Chris Harris, president and CEO of One You Security. "Consumers deserve, and soon will demand, the ability to be personally responsible with their data. This comes with fraud prevention services, which smart firms will offer. One You's solution is a perfect example -- an easy-to-use service that renders the consumer's Social Security number functionally useless to the thief who would otherwise use the information to commit financial fraud at the consumer's expense."
Consumers who choose One You Security do so in part because the company strives to transform their Social Security numbers into meaningless strings of digits of no use to thieves. The firm backs all its offerings with a 100 percent service guarantee.
YouTube video shows Siciliano on FOX News Network, where he explains how the ubiquity of Social Security numbers as universal identifiers helps thieves online and off-line:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqoHSACQ34U
A collection of videos at VideoJug features Siciliano sharing advice on how consumers can protect themselves from identity theft and fraud:
http://www.videojug.com/search?keywords=siciliano
###
About One You Security, LLC
Sarasota, Fla.-based One You Security's mission is to eliminate the threat and consequences of identity theft. For just $10 per month, anyone can sign up for One You Security's identity theft protection service, a proactive, preventative approach whereby the company activates and manages its customers' fraud alerts with major credit bureaus. Subscribers also receive full access to ongoing education from identity theft protection expert Robert Siciliano, chief security analyst for One You Security (http://www.OneYou.com), which backs up its promise to protect clients' financial identities with a 100 percent service guarantee. To sign up for One You Security, dial 1-800-434-2010.
About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all, and Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com (http://www.IDTheftSecurity.com), chief security analyst for One You Security, and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report's editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients. Author of "The Safety Minute: 01" and leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on "The Today Show," CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, "FOX News," "The Suze Orman Show," "The Montel Williams Show," "Maury Povich," "Sally Jesse Raphael," "The Howard Stern Show," and "Inside Edition." Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft protection. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman's Day, Mademoiselle, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others. For more information, visit Siciliano's Web site (http://www.idtheftsecurity.com/), blog (http://www.realtysecurity.com/blog), and YouTube page (http://www.youtube.com/stungundotcom).
The media are encouraged to get in touch with any of the following individuals:
Chris Harris
President & CEO of One You Security
PHONE: 941-342-0500 (x231)
Chris@OneYou.com
http://www.oneyou.com
Robert Siciliano
Chief Security Analyst for One You Security
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
RobertSiciliano@OneYou.com
Brent Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.com
http://www.STETrevisions.com
http://www.brentskinner.blogspot.com
