Integris Consulting Group

                        THE IMPACT OF IDENTITY THEFT IN AMERICA 

The problem of identity theft continues to grow in severity, both in terms of frequency and associated costs. The workplace ranks as the number one source of identity theft. There are new laws that penalize companies with fines and potential lawsuits for such theft. Thus, employers need to develop a compliance program that includes identity theft protection as an employee benefit.

As a result of the unbalanced discussion about the identity theft crisis, the majority of Americans have been tempered into believing that identity theft is not a serious crime. They do not think that identity theft will affect their lives and is somehow preventable by implementing simple personal protection measures, such as shredding documents and blocking access to their credit file. While these are good steps to take, the reality is access to our personal information is not in our sole control and has not been for quite some time.

With new government regulations, employers are now liable. The Integris Consulting Group specializes in Identity Theft Legislation Compliance. Any company personel who handles personal and confidential information of it's clients and employees have a tremendous responsibility to protect and safeguard that personal information, otherwise the company is at risk of violating Federal Identity Theft Laws. The Integris Consulting Group offers an 'Affirmative Defense' solution to mitigate potential fines regarding non-compliance with Federal Identity Laws.

Identity theft has a significant impact on its victims. Companies spend an average of 1,600 work hours per incident and employees can take up to 600 hours recurring from a security breach. The greatest impact is long term, as victims remain vulnerable for the rest of their lives. The Identity Theft Resource Center reports that identity thieves are likely to use stolen data months or years later. The Integris Consulting Group provides a detailed analysis of a company's current exposure and liability risk as well as develop an action plan in writing that will help protect the employer and employee.