| XIX. | Human Microchip Implants and Identify Theft |
| Posted: December, 2003 |
| The National Academies Internship Program Seminar on "Human Microchip Implantation: It's More Than Skin Deep" was scheduled on Friday, November 15, 2002 from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm at The National Academies, 500 5th Street, NW, Room 100, Washington, DC. |
| A. | "One of Most Promising Areas": Identity Theft: Business Wire: June 6, 2002 |
| A Business Wire release reported that identity theft would be deterred by VeriChip, "a miniaturized radio frequency identification device (RFID) ...[a]bout the size of a grain of rice," that "...contains a unique verification number and will be available in several formats, some of which will be insertable under the skin." |
| Applied Digital Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSXE), an advanced technology development company, today announced that it is preparing to launch a "Protected by VeriChip(TM)" product awareness campaign to demonstrate the potential for VeriChip(TM) as a personal safeguard technology that includes applications in the defense, security and financial sectors... |
| One of the most promising areas being explored is identity theft. Crime statistics show that identity theft claims hundreds of thousands of victims every year. VeriChip offers a simple solution: a tamper-proof, personal verification technology that will deter identity theft by making it virtually impossible for criminal elements to access someone else's financial accounts and records.308 |
| B. | Indications of Problems regarding Identify Theft |
| 1. | "Identity Theft Complaints Up, Feds Say": Associated Press article at nytimes.com: January 22, 2003 |
| An Associated Press article reported an increase in identity theft complaints. |
| An Associated Press article reported an increase in identity theft complaints. |
| The government received twice as many complaints about identity theft last year over 2001, with victims reporting hijacked credit cards, drained banked accounts and tarnished reputations... |
| The number of identity theft complaints rose from about 86,000 in 2001 to about 162,000 last year, the Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday. The figures come from a government database of 380,000 fraud complaints collected by the FTC, the FBI and scores of law enforcement and consumer groups. |
| The number of identity theft complaints rose from about 86,000 in 2001 to about 162,000 last year, the Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday. The figures come from a government database of 380,000 fraud complaints collected by the FTC, the FBI and scores of law enforcement and consumer groups. |
| Identity theft accounted for 43 percent of the complaints, topping the government's list of consumer frauds for a third consecutive year.309 |
| 2. | "Identity-theft Complaints Almost Double in 2002": Associated Press article at cnn.com: January 22, 2003 |
| An introductory summary sentence to an Associated Press article at cnn.com reported an increase in identity theft complaints. |
| Complaints about identity theft nearly doubled in 2002 as the fast-growing crime topped the government's list of consumer frauds for a third consecutive year.310 |
| 3. | "Identity Theft": Federal Trade Commission: Revised February 21, 2003 |
| The Federal Trade Commission maintains an "Identity Theft" Web site. |
| Welcome to the U.S. government's central website for information about identity theft. |
| This site is maintained by the Federal Trade Commission. Please continue to visit this site often and share the information with your family, friends and colleagues. More information will be added to the site regularly, including government reports and Congressional testimony, law enforcement updates, and links to other sites with helpful information about identity theft. |
| How can someone steal your identity? By co-opting your name, Social Security number, credit card number, or some other piece of your personal information for their own use. In short, identity theft occurs when someone appropriates your personal information without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft.311 |