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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 4:10 p.m., Thursday, April 13, 2006

40,000 could be at risk for ID theft

Advertiser Staff

More than 40,000 state residents who enrolled in certain health and group life insurance plans in 1999 are at risk for identity theft following the theft of some insurance company records, the state attorney general's office said in a news release.

The individuals include 22,000 private sector employees and 21,500 members of the Hawaii Government Employees Association and the United Public Workers union, the news release said.

The disclosure follows the recent notification to the attorney general by federal law enforcement officials (the United States Secret Service) of the theft of insurance company records that list the names and social security numbers of persons who enrolled in certain health and group life insurance plans in 1999.

The records were produced by the Voluntary Employees Benefit Association of Hawaii in a civil lawsuit that the state brought against HGEA, UPW, and others, and they were copied at the request of the attorney general for litigation purposes by a professional copying service in Honolulu, the release said.

Federal officials informed the attorney general's office in January 2006 that unauthorized copies of some of the records were made by a person or persons unknown, apparently while the records were at the professional copying service. They were later found by the Honolulu Police Department on a computer used by an individual being investigated for drug offenses, the release said. The incident has not been disclosed before now because that could have impaired the federal investigation, it said. The U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made a request that the theft not be publicly disclosed until now. The investigation by federal authorities continues.

"Identity theft is a serious crime and a growing national problem. Records containing social security numbers and other personal information can be used by thieves to obtain credit cards, to open fraudulent bank accounts, to mortgage real property, and to purchase automobiles. If debts incurred in those transactions are not paid, the credit of those whose identity has been stolen could be impaired. In some cases, it might take years for individuals to clear their records and restore their credit. We are taking this issue very seriously and strongly advise those affected, at a minimum, to obtain and review their credit reports, which are free under federal law," Attorney General Mark Bennett said in the release. "We very much regret the very serious impact this theft will have on so many persons."

Private-sector employees whose names have been found among the stolen records are being contacted directly in writing by the attorney general's office.

In addition, members of UPW and HGEA who were enrolled in union health and group life insurance plans in the months indicated may be at risk for identity theft and are being contacted directly in writing by the attorney general.

For the full news release, go to http://hawaii.gov/ag/main/press_releases/