Identities May Be at Risk after 17 People Indicted Last Week in Local Theft of Personal Information

Nearly 300 Kansas City residents were the victims of a local identity theft ring which stole personal information and filed fraudulent tax returns seeking more than $13 million in refunds. Seventeen members of this ring were indicted in Kansas City last week. As a result, ID Watchdog, the nation’s only identity theft protection company that provides 360-degree protection, detection and resolution, is waiving their first month’s monitoring fee so any Kansas City resident can find out if they are a victim for free.

“Identity theft is the nation’s fastest growing crime, affecting millions of Americans annually. This incident in Kansas City reminds us anyone can be at risk at any time,” said Justin Yurek, president of ID Watchdog. “We believe it is in the best interest of Kansas City residents to provide our services until all citizens can be sure their personal information has not been compromised.”

Many companies offering identity theft solutions focus solely on the information contained in credit reports. However, identity records are made of up pieces of personal information stored in thousands of databases, including motor vehicle records, criminal files, health and insurance databases, tax records and a host of other areas. Only ID Watchdog monitors for fraudulent activity in all these critical areas.

Most importantly, ID Watchdog not only alerts customers to a potential problem, but also resolves any misuse of a customer’s identity, something monitoring alone cannot do. It is estimated the average victim spends more than 500 hours – the equivalent of more than three months at a full-time job – to resolve an ID theft issue.

“Many people have security systems on their homes. ID Watchdog acts like a high-tech security system for your identity,” explained Yurek, who testified last month before the U.S. Congress on identity theft.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, businesses lose more than $50 billion and consumers spend another $5 billion annually to recover from identity theft. Kansas City residents will receive the first month of monitoring free of charge (a $1.95 identity verification fee is required for the consumer’s protection).

About ID Watchdog

Headquartered in Denver, ID Watchdog is the only identity theft advocacy company that provides 360-degree detection, protection and resolution for identity theft. The company’s solutions were developed with assistance from federal agencies, U.S. Postal Inspectors, state and local law enforcement officials and several state attorneys general and have been endorsed by state bankers’ associations. Since credit reports reflect only a portion of identity theft, ID Watchdog Plus™, the company’s most comprehensive offering, analyzes thousands of databases in 13 critical areas, including motor vehicle, medical, criminal, Social Security and national security records, among others, and often detects activity before there is any impact. The company’s products are available for purchase by consumers or businesses either individually or as an inclusive suite.

For more information: http://www.idwatchdog.com