Why is it SO Hard to HELP People These Days

Hello Everyone,
You may or may not know that I am a small business owner and entrepreneur in the area of Identity Theft. I am a Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist and recently, I have had the opportunity to sit with a few clients and explain to them the services I offer through my company. Interestingly enough, in the news in NY, there have been quite a few reports about an employee of one of the largest and most prestigious hospitals in New York City, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell Weill Medical Center, having been charged with stealing the nonpublic information of approximately 40,000 patients. Here is the Story from NewsDay, and Here is the New York Times artcle.. During these meetings, I informed my clients that there are Federal Trade Commission laws specifically, The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA) and the new Red Flag Rules which mandate that ALL companies both large and small have in place a program that maps out preventative measures and steps taken to prevent data breaches of nonpublic information. As the information I gave to them in reference to the fines, lawsuits and loss of clients/customers took root, I saw each and every one of my clients look at me in awe since they were not even aware of the legislature having been passed, much less how to implement it. Needless to say, when I offered my expertise to assist them in setting this program up, FOR FREE, that’s when I received the raised eyebrow as if to say “What’s the catch?” New Yorkers are notorious for their skepticism. While explaining that: 1. My services in setting this up are free, (all I ask is that I have the opportunity to offer my services as a voluntary or fringe group benefit to the employees) 2. New hire follow up training is free and 3. Documentation is free, I am met with extreme disbelief.
Picture this: I am willing to meet with your employees, train them, follow up training for any new hires, keep you abreast of any new legislation involving these laws and fully document all of the above…. And my only request is that you allow me to offer a service to your employees. Does that sound like a deal that would assist ANY business? Well, to me it does, however, many potential clients are so skeptical that they cannot believe that there is no string attached! Even after showing the fines levied against, Choicepoint, Iron Mountain, BJ’s Wholesale Club for millions of dollars, these potential clients are still bewildered by the fact that it is a free program for the taking.
I fail to understand three things:
1 – How a business owner could know the ramifications of NOT having this program in place yet still pass on a free offering that protects the product of their many years of hard work, blood, sweat and tears
2 – How a business owner could pass on a benefit that can be offered to his/her employees that not only increases productivity during at-work hours, but 24/7/365 and it can be offered at no cost to the business if necessary
3 – How an owner AND employee could possibly pass on a service that gives the most comprehensive Identity Theft protection / Attorney Access in the country after reading the above articles from the NY Times and NY Newsday.
Sometimes it’s SO hard to help people it’s painful. I once saw an article about a man that tried to GIVE AWAY 100.00 bills. 70% of the people he offered it to, WOULDN’T TAKE IT!!! I have since contacted these clients and am in the process of sitting down with them again to reassess their need for this program. If you are a business owner, executive in charge of the welfare of your most cherished asset – your employees, concerned head of household or simply someone in search of a better way to protect your identity, please feel to check these websites, For Businesses, For Employees, For I D Theft Protection, For Individual Families. If you prefer a video presentation Turn Your Speakers On. All of my websites have my contact information, so feel free to contact me.

Take Care,
Mr. William D. Calloway Jr.

Go Ahead and Steal My Identity – My Credit Is Bad Anyhow

Someone actually said this to me the other day and I had to sit down and give them a quick and dirty lesson in ID Theft. Although it sounds funny, most people are under the false impression that identity theft is not a problem to those with bad or mediocre credit. Well ladies and gentlemen, I am here to let you know that “This aint Kansas anymore Dorothy”
Instead of giving a boatload of statistics on which types of identity theft are most prevalent, I’ll save that for a more editorial style blog at a later date, I would like to give you a few scenarios that could occur if you take the stand that your mediocre or bad credit keeps you out of the realm of having your identity stolen.
Scenario One: Your credit is horrendous, but you have a decent job with medical benefits for you and your family. This sounds relatively innocuous and serene right? Well, take this scenario and add a little medical identity theft. Now in one case, the thief gets your medical card and goes to a local doctor’s office and gets a prescription filled for oxycontin. Then another and another and another and another at different medical facilities. Now they go out and hit the club with some friends and sell some of them. WOOPS!!! One of those sales was to an undercover police officer. (Extreme case right?) Now they ask where they got them. Hmmmm..don’t all of the prescriptions have YOUR name on them? OK, that was too drastic. Let’s say the thief goes to the emergency room and it is found out that they are diabetic. Well, they get an insulin prescription and low and behold, YOU are now a diabetic. Go to the hospital in any kind of unconscious state and … You guessed it, you’re going to get insulin! Sound drastic? Well it happens.
Scenario Two: Your credit is mediocre but you have a driver’s license. Another relatively mild sounding affair correct? Well your friendly neighborhood thief gets a few speeding tickets and low and behold, YOU are now a scofflaw subject to arrest when stopped for ANYTHING. “Excuse me officer, I didn’t know my tail light was broken…Huh? What do you mean step out of the vehicle?” I make it sound kind of funny but these things happen. One man was jailed for three days because he had an argument with his girlfriend and the police ran his ID and found that he was wanted for possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in narcotics and quite a few speeding tickets. All because someone stole his license and had decided rather than go to jail they’d give someone else up instead. Let’s be for real people, we may not think these things can happen, but they can and will. When it comes to identity theft, it’s not IF it can happen, it’s only a matter of time until WHEN it happens.
I know it’s scary, but the best thing is to be covered. Not just credit, but Social Security, Medical, Driver’s License AND Criminal. The service I market through my business offers all these coverages for less than you can imagine. In addition, it includes access to a SYSTEM of provider law FIRMS…..in case you need an attorney. What more can I say besides, contact me for any additional information you might need.

Be Careful, Be Safe,
William D. Calloway Jr., CITRMS