Stealing the identities of well-to-do NY residents in Westerchester County just got harder with a local law that requries all businesses offering wireless Internet acess (hotels & coffeeshops among them) to install basic security measures to protect credit card numbers or other financial information.  The law forces businesses to install a firewall or change the default SSID, and post warning notices visible to wireless network uers. County Executive Andrew Spano says this law is the first of it’s kind in the country.  More details here.

Colorado is finally catching up with the rest of the United States, in making identity theft a felony crime.  Colorado and Vermont are the only states in the nation where identity theft is not a felony! The bill to make ID theft a specific crime passed the state Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously on Monday. It had already passed the House.  A few more details here.

TrustedID is excited to announce the launch a new blog on the topic of identity protection and identity theft!

Most Americans generally “get” the concept of identity theft. Most of us have a personal experience – either ourselves or friends and family.  But it’s nearly impossible to find information online about what’s “new” in this area.

There are the generic “What to do if You’re a Victim of Identity Theft” sites – many of which admittedly are very good.  Or there are the “Buy our Product” sites, which admittedly we’re guilty of too.  But this blog is about neither.  Instead, we’re focusing on two areas: innovations for preventing identity theft and public policy initiatives to eliminate identity theft.

The TrustedID Blog is written by the cofounders of TrustedID, Scott Mitic and Omar Ahmad. We started TrustedID with a mission to help consumers proactively protect their identities and the data that makes up our identities.  We spend all day every day figuring out how build simple solutions that end the complex problems of identity theft.

If you wish to provide feedback to us directly, please address your emails to blog – at – trustedid – dot – com.

Best,

Scott & Omar