CybercrimeTexas fights identity theft

Published 18 May 2012

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the number of instances of identity manipulation; according to an April report from ID Analytics, the cities of Beaumont and El Paso lead the nation in per-capita identity manipulation attempts

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the number of instances of identity manipulation. According to an April report from ID Analytics, the cities of Beaumont and El Paso lead the nation in per-capita identity manipulation attempts. In fact, 11 of the top 20 zip codes identified are located in Texas, including Houston, McAllen, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Midland, and San Antonio.

Tempe, Arizona-based Lifelock says that Identity manipulation differs slightly from identity theft in that a specific individual’s information is not targeted. Instead, fraudsters apply for accounts using false names, Social Security numbers, addresses, or dates of birth.

To combat this growing crime, Sheriff Richard D. Wiles and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting a free, one-day identity theft summit presented by the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI-LEEDA) and LifeLock, Inc.

In my 38 years of law enforcement this is the most informative one day seminar I have attended,” said Chief Don Dixon of the Lake Charles Police Department. “We saw a great need for additional training in identity theft and there is remarkable value in learning about new trends and investigative techniques. This training is free for all law enforcement officials in attendance. This training has enhanced our ability to identify, investigate and prosecute identity theft in our area.”

The all-day training event is scheduled for Thursday, 24 May, to be held at the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Region VIII Training Academy and marks the 97th law enforcement training presented by LifeLock. The summit will provide attendees with new investigative methods and the latest information on identity theft trends. The training will provide participants with hands-on experience with tools and methods currently being used to investigate and prosecute identity theft crimes. The El Paso training marks the eighth identity theft training summit presented by LifeLock and the FBI-LEEDA in the state of Texas.