Jay Honeck wrote:
I just have to wonder
if this whole "identity theft" thing isn't a product of Madison Avenue, once
again trying to fan the flames of our own paranoia, in an effort to sell us
something?

Does anyone know a real person who has suffered this fate?

Yes. Over 10 years ago, I received a call from the Secret Service asking
if I would be willing to help prosecute someone who had multiple
credit cards in my name and that of many other people. I, of course,
cooperated.

As it happens, they had caught the guys before much had been purchased
on the credit card numbers, and while the physical cards were still in
their possession.

They (the bad guys) had obtained identifying information by picking the
utterly ineffective lock on postal clusterboxes at various apartment
complexes in Dallas. They were caught, the agent told me, due to an
unusual number of new telephone line installation requests that were
made to an apartment. The complex owner got suspicious, and called the
local cops. The local cops figured it was a numbers operation, and
called in the Feds. The FBI handed it to Treasury after observing an
unsually high volume of what appeared to be credit card statements going
to the same address. Phone record analysis gave them enough along with
every thing else gave them enough to get a search warrant, as I recall.
(Lots of calls from credit card companies calling for verification.
This was apparently necessary because they were asking for cards at an
address for which there was no other sustantiating information; they
claimed a new move. CC company called "employer" to verify. Each phone
represented a different fake employer, for whom they (the bad guys) had
a list of "employees." They gave the CC company the new address in
verification, and the card was issued.)

They had so much evidence that I never had to testify. They (the Secret
Service) also worked directly with the credit card companies to get the
whole mess cleaned up.

So, yes, I know someone. Me.

Ben Sego