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California Model Helps Fight Roots of Identity, Credit Theft

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Source: Houston Chronicle

Thank goodness for California and its consumer protection laws.

Unlike any other state in the nation, California requires companies that collect personal and financial information on its citizens to notify any Californian who might become a victim of identity theft because of a breach in the company's security.

Without that law, who knows if data purveyor ChoicePoint of Alpharetta, Ga., would ever have confessed that it sold access to its electronic warehouse of 17 billion public records to a criminal ring masquerading as business owners?

As it is, ChoicePoint took its time telling the whole truth about the matter. Although there's some confusion over how long law enforcement asked ChoicePoint to keep quiet during the ongoing investigation, the company originally informed only 35,000 Californians of the potential crimes. It took pressure from the attorneys general of other states and the Congress to force them to notify an additional 110,000 people.
 
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