Assembly Members At Risk Of ID Theft

02-02-2007
Contact: Glen Loyd
608-224-5007

Madison - Some members and aides in the Assembly are at risk for identity theft after a legislative human resources employee took home personal information about them, including their Social Security numbers, and had it stolen from her car.

According to an e-mail sent to senators by Senate Chief Clerk Robert Marchant, an employee of the Legislative Human Resources Office took a report to work on at home. On her way, she stopped at a gym, and her locker was among those broken into by a thief. The thief stole the employee's keys, then broke into her car and removed a variety of items, including the report that included employee names and Social Security numbers, the e-mail said.

The report listed people who were enrolled in a particular health insurance program. Among those affected was Rep. Marlin Schneider (D-Wisconsin Rapids), who is the Legislature's foremost advocate for protecting personal identification. Schneider said he was left frustrated and angry, because he's been warning against potential problems like this for years.
Schneider said Gov. Jim Doyle should issue an executive order that no state employee be allowed to remove such personal information from the office, and he called on the Legislature to pass legislation restricting companies' use of Social Security numbers for identification.

"I'm hopeful that leadership will take this seriously," Schneider said.

Those who were affected by the theft were advised to put a fraud alert on their credit reports.

No senators or Senate aides were affected.

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