The Federal Trade Commission has mailed reimbursement claim forms to more than 2,400 consumers who may have been victims of identity theft due to data broker ChoicePoint, Inc. inadvertently selling their data to a ring of Nigerian criminals in 2005.
In December 2006, the Commission mailed claim forms to 1,400 consumers who were identified with the assistance of law enforcement, with instructions on how to file a claim. In April 2007, 1,500 consumers were identified and contacted.
The FTC also has created a Web site -- http://www.ftc.gov/choicepoint -- where consumers who do not receive a letter can download a claim form and obtain information about the claims process.
In 2005, ChoicePoint, which compiles and sells personal information, announced that it had sold information about many consumers to people who turned out to be identity thieves. The FTC investigated the ChoicePoint security breach and alleged that, in some cases, these sales resulted in identity theft.
The FTC and ChoicePoint reached a settlement requiring the company, among other things, to pay $5 million to be used to reimburse consumers for expenses due to identity theft caused by ChoicePoints security breach.
Consumers who receive a letter and have out-of-pocket expenses due to identity theft caused by the ChoicePoint security breach should submit claims promptly. Consumers who do not receive a letter, but who believe that they have identity theft-related expenses due to this incident, also may submit a claim by completing the form available on the FTCs Web site http://www.ftc.gov/choicepoint or calling (toll-free) 1-888-884-8772.
The form must be postmarked by August 18, 2007 for consideration. The amount applicants receive will depend on a number of factors, including the total number and amount of claims that the agency receives.
More information for consumers is available by calling toll-free at 1-888-884-8772., or by sending an e-mail to cpredress@ftc.gov.
Last month, ChoicePoint reached a settlement with the Attorneys General of 44 states, agreeing to implement stronger security measures, including audits and inspections of companies that want to purchase its data records.
The Alpharetta, GA-based data broker will also pay $500,000 to the states. ChoicePoint privacy officer Carol DiBattiste said she hoped the states would use the money "to address important issues like consumer education on personal privacy protection."
