Identity Theft Skeptic Proven Wrong (the Hard Way)
I'm used to people's eyes glazing over when I talk about data loss and how releasing too much personal information can lead to fraud. There are plenty of reasons for that kind of reaction. Maybe it's the "it won't happen to me" mentality or they just assume the bank or the credit card company will refund any fraudulent losses that leads to a lack of concern. Or, it could be they just don't believe in fraud. Take the unfortunate case of Jeremy Clarkson of the UK who published details of his bank account number in the Sun newspaper. He had believed that too much had been made of a data leak from the UK government and published his information to show that no one could withdraw funds from his account. He was quickly proved wrong.
The BBC quotes Clarkson:
"I opened my bank statement this morning to find out that someone has set up a direct debit which automatically takes £500 from my account," he said."The bank cannot find out who did this because of the Data Protection Act and they cannot stop it from happening again.
"I was wrong and I have been punished for my mistake.
Clarkson has now gone to the other extreme. Speaking of the loss of two CDs containing child benefit claimant data lost in October, 2007 he said:
"Contrary to what I said at the time, we must go after the idiots who lost the discs and stick cocktail sticks in their eyes until they beg for mercy."
Moderation and pragmatism is in order here, not the extremes Mr. Clarkson advocates.
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