" 9.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2008 "

[WhiskeyGirl]

Identity Fraud: Scope of the Problem

How serious are false confirmation and identity fraud problems? About 9.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2008. Most involved credit and financial fraud.29 There is anecdotal evidence that unauthorized workers and some employers have relied on identity fraud to obtain employment through E-Verify.30 There is no precise estimate of such false confirmations because measuring the phenomenon would require follow-up (an additional round of identity authentication) on workers after they have been confirmed by the system. Such workers have been work authorized, and follow-up inquiries are rarely conducted.31

Identity fraud is a growth industry, and false confirmations as a result of identity fraud are likely to persist, and probably increase, as E-Verify expands. “Full identities,” including name, date of birth, and SSN, may be purchased online for as little as 70 cents (if purchased in bulk) to as much as $60, and the 1.6 million malicious code threats detected in 2008 were more than double the total detected during the previous six years.32 Even the US passport, traditionally seen as the gold standard for identity security, has been shown to be vulnerable to identity fraud by criminals or terrorists with basic counterfeiting skills.33

more here - http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/Verification_paper-071709.pdf

Why isn't this a stimulus and security priority?

Who uses all those false identities?

[WhiskeyGirl]

Is the nation safer under Obama?

While most identity theft is now related to credit card and financial fraud, growth in E-Verify is likely to expand the market for employment-based identity fraud. Expanded markets for stolen data would be especially likely if new E-Verify mandates are not accompanied by broader immigration reforms to legalize existing unauthorized workers and to provide more legal opportunities for future employment-based migration. That is because most unauthorized workers create fictitious SSNs.  Mandatory electronic verification would create incentives and new markets for real but stolen numbers.

Would giving those who come here illegally, use stolen, or fictitious SSNs legal status make us safer or encourage more to come?

Why don't they deport those who use fictitious SSNs?  Seems like they should be easy to identify and find.

What is the Obama administration doing about SSNs that are being used by multiple identities?

Are we safer under Obama?

Or, is the system being overwhelmed and destroyed from within?