Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Home › News › Local News

Stolen computer rings ID theft bell

Some angry their old cases are still in missing database

April M. Washington And Ellen Miller, Rocky Mountain News

Published November 2, 2006 at midnight

Text size  

More Local News

More stories »

Personal financial information on a state database of child support payments that is now in the hands of a thief dates back decades, judging from who is getting letters warning that their privacy has been compromised.

Some of the letters have gone to men who completed their child support obligations years ago and who question why their names, addresses and Social Security numbers were still in the database stolen from a state contractor.

Linda Gonzales wrote in an e-mail that her husband - who is 65 and whose kids are in their 40s and grandparents themselves - was advised that his data was on the stolen computer.

The contractor, Affiliated Computer Services Inc., of Dallas, is notifying at least 500,000 people involved in Colorado child support cases that they may be exposed to identity theft because of the Oct. 13 theft of one of the company's desktop computers.

It is not clear how many people are at risk. It may be as many as 1.4 million.

ACS processes child support for the state Department of Human Services for $5.5 million a year.

The ACS letters advise affected people what steps they can take to protect themselves against identity theft.

Kevin Lightfoot, spokesman for ACS, would not say whether his company would reimburse people for the cost of their credit reports or any theft that may result.

Tom Kraus, of Wheat Ridge, said he finished paying child support in 2001 and has no idea why his personal information was still in the database.

"I called (ACS), and the guy on the phone had no answers for me. He said nothing of value," Kraus said.

Kraus also had personal information stored in a laptop computer that was stolen, and later recovered, from the Veterans Administration earlier this year, a breach that potentially affected 26 million people.

"So far, nothing has happened to me, but I have to keep up on it," Kraus said. "It's work and it costs money."

An angry Steve Fish of Grand Junction received a letter from ACS despite finishing paying child support eight years ago.

"If anything happens to my credit cards or credit report, they're going to get sued," Fish said. "I hope they have lots of liability coverage."

Liz McDonough, of the Department of Human Services, said that police do not believe the personal financial records in the computer have been compromised.

"Law enforcement hasn't given any indication that the computer was stolen for the purpose of identity theft," McDonough said.

McDonough said the breach in security is the fault of ACS.

"The breach occurred in their offices. It was on their property and in the custody of their personnel," she said.

McDonough said ACS's contract will not be renewed when it expires in June 2007.

Identity theft

If you think you might be a victim of identity theft, here are a few steps to take:

• Contact Affiliated Computer Services INC. at 1-800-350-0399.

• Place a fraud alert on credit reports and review credit reports with the big three credit bureaus:

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; ; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Experian: 1-888-EXPERIA (397-3742); ; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; ; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

• Colorado residents are entitled by law to receive one free credit report annually.

or 303-954-5086