Free Theft Protection Service for Connecticut Taxpayers

The Department of Revenue Service is offering free one-year credit monitoring service for those taxpayers whose information was stored in the stolen laptop.

According to the orders of Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell, the IT agency of the state is supposed to enforce new controls to protect confidential data on laptop computers. The Governor's order came following a theft of data on 106,000 taxpayers in the state of Connecticut. PC World reported this on August 31, 2007.

Gov. Rell issued the order after it was found that a Department of Revenue Services laptop that held names and Social Security numbers of over 100,000 taxpayers went missing. Theoretically, the data was password-protected.

However, if the online thief and his methodology were advanced enough to invade the PC's memory, they would have a magnificent chance to capitalize on the data through identity theft scam. If the data is secured, then it could mean victory of hope over the experience.

The Department of Revenue Service said on August 31, 2007 that it was offering free credit monitoring service for one year for the benefit of those taxpayers whose personal information lay in the stolen laptop. The services would run through the Debix Identity Protection Network. Taxpayers could also visit the Website of the Department of Revenue Service to know if the theft had affected them.

Reporter Day Daudani of Channel 3 Eyewitness News reported that the security violation resulted in danger of identity theft for one in every 15 taxpayers of the state. The Channel 3 Eyewitness News Website published this on August 29, 2007.

The incident was scary for the Department because the least they wanted was the disclosure of individuals' information to online fraudsters, said Sarah Kaufman, Department of Revenue Services in a statement. Republican American published it on September 1, 2007. The agency's first priority was always to ensure protection of the taxpayers' information.

According to the department, no one has so far complained of information getting hacked. Meanwhile, the state might have to spend one million dollar for the theft protection service.

In May last year, robbers stole the laptop of an employee of Veteran Affairs Department. It contained personal information on 26.5 Million former and current members of the service. The result was two identity theft cases.

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» SPAMfighter News - 9/15/2007