ACFE Joins Forces With FTC To Tackle Identity Theft

Business Wire, June 30, 2005

AUSTIN, Texas -- The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the world's leading provider of anti-fraud training and education, joins forces with Betsy Broder, Assistant Director at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Carol DiBattiste, Chief Credentialing, Compliance and Privacy Officer at ChoicePoint to discuss effective solutions to help fight identity theft.

A series of high-profile incidents like data thefts, losses or compromises at major corporations, has led to calls for legislative action. In February, ChoicePoint disclosed that criminals had improperly accessed personal information on 145,000 consumers. Since the fraud incident, ChoicePoint has initiated a number of significant and specific changes including creating an Office of Credentialing, Compliance and Privacy, which DiBattiste leads. "Changes in business practices are needed in virtually every business and government department in order to better protect consumers from identity theft and organizations from liability risk," explains Toby Bishop, CFE, CPA, FCA, President and CEO of the ACFE. "The Sarbanes-Oxley Act has shown that well-intended legislation enacted in haste can have significant adverse consequences. Consumers will pay for additional procedures one way or another so legislation should address the problem of identity theft economically as well as effectively. The ACFE welcomes the opportunity to host a discussion of this important issue and to encourage the implementation of best practices for fraud prevention in this area."

Broder and DiBattiste will be speaking at the ACFE's annual fraud conference this year to address the rapidly growing problem of identity theft facilitated by theft or improper accessing of personal data that many corporations and government organizations hold. "Data security and privacy are 'hot topics' in the House and Senate," said Bishop. "This issue will impact virtually every business and government department so we need smart solutions that can be implemented cost-effectively to better protect all consumers."

The 16th Annual ACFE Fraud Conference & Exhibition, held in Washington, D.C. July 10-15th also features keynoters James B. Comey, Chair of the Corporate Fraud Task Force and U.S. Deputy Attorney General, and Brian Lamkin, Chief of the Financial Crimes Section at the FBI. For the sixth consecutive year, the ACFE's annual conference will serve as the kick-off event for National Fraud Awareness Week, a week dedicated to increasing fraud awareness and promoting the global fight against fraud. Over 1,500 anti-fraud professionals from more than 40 countries are expected to attend.

About the ACFE

The ACFE, the world's premier provider of anti-fraud training and education, has over 33,000 members, sponsors more than 120 chapters worldwide and provides anti-fraud educational materials to over 100 universities. Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs) on six continents have investigated more than 1 million suspected cases of civil and criminal fraud. For more information about the 16th Annual ACFE Fraud Conference & Exhibition, visit www.fraudconference.com. For information about supporting National Fraud Awareness Week, visit www.fraudweek.com.

Editor's Note: All information in this press release is current as of the date of the announcement but is subject to change without prior notice.

Attention Media: To secure your press pass to the conference or schedule an interview with Broder, Comey, Lamkin, or Bishop, contact Kevin Tap at ktap@CFEnet.com or 512-478-9000.