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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,759
Registered: ‎03-03-2011

Another way to have your identity stolen.

I received a letter yesterday from the laywer that handled my Father's estate about 5 years ago and he informed me that his office had been burgled and ALL the personal info (SS numbers, bank info, addresses.phone numbers etc) on all his clients had been stolen. The letter included about 10 pages of forms I should fill out and file with the state, IRS, banks etc to prevent id theft. The jerk only said "sorry" but did not offer to pay for id theft protect for a year or two to make up for this SERIOUS mistake on HIS part. I am SO mad! You can't even trust your own laywer to protect your personal info. From now on I will ask how my personal info is being protected before I give it to ANYONE! You all might want to call and ask your attorneys how they are protecting yours. Wish I had.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,226
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Another way to have your identity stolen.

I do think the lawyer might have offered more than he did, but I don't understand what mistake he made.   Explain please.

 

Another thought - depending upon the size of that lawyer's practice and his malpractice insurance (assuming somehow this theft makes him guilty of malpractice), he might well not have sufficient funds to buy ID protection for all his clients and his past clients.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,153
Registered: ‎05-22-2012

Re: Another way to have your identity stolen.

I'm so sorry that you're going through this. There are LOTS of ways to have information stolen and people forget about the low-tech ways.

 

This is one reason it frustrates me when the QVC hosts talk about having a credit card number stolen and credit card fraud and call it identity theft. Credit card fraud is not the same thing as identity theft and can usually be resolved with a few phone calls in under a week. Actual identify theft is a much more serious problem and requires years of credit monitoring. People have gotten into trouble with the IRS because someone stole their identity and people have even gone to jail for a time because someone else stole their identity. 

 

You should look into the laws in your own state and see if they have any laws about social security numbers on paper records and how they need to be stored or what steps need to be taken in case of a breach. It's possible laws were ignored or that no such laws exist in your state. If no laws exist, you should ask your representatives to create legislation requiring safer storage of personal records so that this doesn't happen to you or others again.

 

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,759
Registered: ‎03-03-2011

Re: Another way to have your identity stolen.

[ Edited ]

@millieshops wrote:

I do think the lawyer might have offered more than he did, but I don't understand what mistake he made.   Explain please.

 

Another thought - depending upon the size of that lawyer's practice and his malpractice insurance (assuming somehow this theft makes him guilty of malpractice), he might well not have sufficient funds to buy ID protection for all his clients and his past clients.


I think you would feel different if it was your family that had ALL their identity info stolen! He made a SERIOUS mistake! Why were his important files (client's ss numbers, bank account numbers etc) not encrypted? He was WELL paid and he owes the people who paid him! I feel he owes everyone at least a year of id protection. Silly me.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,765
Registered: ‎05-09-2010

Re: Another way to have your identity stolen.

Sorry that this happened to you.  But are you saying that lawyers, accountants, etc. should have no paperwork whatsoever?  I don't think that will happen for a long time.

 

Be glad he notified you and gave you paperwork to help.  Identify theft can happen so many ways.  To expect your lawyer to pay out of pocket for your identify theft protection is a bit much.  You paid him for his services years ago.  If you thought he was overpaid for what he did then, you should have said so at the time.

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead
Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,010
Registered: ‎06-09-2014

Re: Another way to have your identity stolen.

I'm so sorry you are going through this.  I had my data breached in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Anthem hack.  If a multinational corporation and a medical one at that can't keep sensitive information secure, it's not surprising an individual businessman couldn't either.  It's the world we live in these days.

 

The person to be mad at here is the burglar.  All of us including the lawyer can only do so much to secure our information and personal belongings but thieves are thieves 24/7 in all areas of the world.  If he didn't leave his office unlocked and took due care, I'm afraid he really had no other responsibility.  It's impossible to completely secure everything 100% and encrypting files is probably well beyond the expectation and financial resources of most companies and especially a lone businessman if that's what he is.  

 

Freeze your credit with all three bureaus which is probably what these people were really looking to do.  If they can't access your credit, you become worthless to them.  It's very easy to do and cost $3 I believe on the internet.  I think you can even get that fee waived if you are a victim like you are.

 

You may not feel it right now but he actually did you a great service in letting you know the theft happen.  He could have not given himself the headache and let everyone stay ignorant of the fact that their information was out there to be misused.  You are lucky it was a lawyer who knew he had a legal obligation to tell you otherwise he could be sued if you did have an issue and it was traced back to his office break in.

 

It may be a hassel but you can take steps to protect yourself and he gave you the tools to do that instead of you having to track them down on your own which is all he can do at this point.  I can tell you I think it's been the better part of a year and so far (knock on wood) my information has stayed safe.  I will also add to change your passwords to your banking and other financial sites and make sure they are really, really secure.  If you lock down your credit and other stuff, the idiots who have nothing better to do with themselves and victimized you both will probably move on to the next name on the list pretty quickly.    

 

 

 

      

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,616
Registered: ‎10-01-2014

Re: Another way to have your identity stolen.

@silkyk

I have worked for both an accountancy corp and a group of lawyers. All of the client files were locked when we closed at night and unlocked when we returned the following morning. I did the same when I was a small business owner. 

 

Were your father's files in a locked cabinet? If not, this is the angle I would pursue to collect damages for id theft.

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. - Aesop
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,892
Registered: ‎02-19-2012

Re: Another way to have your identity stolen.


Why were his important files (client's ss numbers, bank account numbers etc) not encripted? He was WELL paid and he owes the people who paid him! I feel he owes everyone at least a year of id protection. Silly me.


 

How does one encrypt paper files?

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,134
Registered: ‎06-29-2010

Re: Another way to have your identity stolen.

Sorry for your loss of personal records.  Maybe it was an inside job or someone may have known the office was an easy target. 

However, you have informed me of yet another way one's identity can be compromised.  I will look into safe guarding my info with others I do business with. 

Never Forget the Native American Indian Holocaust
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,365
Registered: ‎09-05-2014

Re: Another way to have your identity stolen.

Identity theft is a very scary thing that we are all having to worry about!  My husband and I are always talking about it and we try and be as careful as possible but we have also drawn the conclusion that there is no way that we can totally protect ourselves against a breach!!  It is this world we now live in!!Man FrustratedWoman Frustrated