Appraisal Scoop.com has reported many times on the problems that appraisers and consumers face with identity theft. Today, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), a participant in the government-wide Identity Theft Task Force, announced that it will provide a direct link to the new, centralized government Web site on identity theft.
The new site, www.idtheft.gov, was launched today. The ID Theft Task Force's Strategic Plan, which represents the input of 17 Federal agencies, including the FDIC, sets out recommendations to prevent identity theft, to assist identity theft victims in recovering from those crimes, and to prosecute and punish identity theft-related criminals. The taskforce was created on May 10, 2006, by Executive Order to strengthen Federal efforts to protect against identity theft.
For more information on the site, you can visit either www.idtheft.gov or www.fdic.gov
Web cast: April 23, 2007 - The President's Identity Theft Task Force Press Conference
About the Task Force
The President’s Task Force on Identity Theft was established by Executive Order 13402 on May 10, 2006, launching a new era in the fight against identity theft. Recognizing the heavy financial and emotional toll that identity theft exacts from its victims, and the severe burden it places on the economy, President Bush called for a coordinated approach among government agencies to combat this crime.
The President’s charge was to craft a strategic plan aiming to make the federal government’s efforts more effective and efficient in the areas of identity theft awareness, prevention, detection, and prosecution. To meet that charge, the Task Force, chaired by Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and co-chaired by Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras, focused on several areas:
Law Enforcement. The Task Force examined the tools law enforcement can use to prevent, investigate, and prosecute identity theft crimes; recover the proceeds of these crimes; and ensure just and effective punishment of identity thieves.
Education. The Task Force surveyed current education efforts by government agencies and the private sector on how individuals and corporate citizens can protect personal data.
Government safeguards. Because government must help reduce, rather than exacerbate, incidents of identity theft, the Task Force worked with many federal agencies to determine how the government can increase safeguards to better secure the personal data that it and private businesses hold.
The Task Force conducted meetings, spoke with stakeholders, and invited public comment on key issues. The recommendations that comprise the strategic plan are designed to strengthen the efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers; to educate consumers and businesses on deterring, detecting, and defending against identity theft; to assist law enforcement officers in apprehending and prosecuting identity thieves; and to increase the safeguards used by federal agencies and the private sector with respect to the personal data they hold.
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