[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 22, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51049-51050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21322]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Public Workshop: Identity Theft Prevention

AGENCY: Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector 
General (OIG).

ACTION: Initial Notice Requesting Public Comment and Announcing Public 
Workshop.

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SUMMARY: The Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of the 
Inspector General (OIG), will hold a public workshop to identify 
relevant issues and examine potential solutions to prevent identity 
theft. This notice seeks public comments to inform the discussion that 
will take place at the workshop.

DATES: October 25, 2000, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Written comments and requests 
to participate as panelist in the workshop must be submitted on or 
before September 21, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The Identity Theft Workshop will be held in Washington, 
D.C., at the Department of Health and Human Services Cohen Building, 
330 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201.

SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS: Comments should be captioned ``Identity Theft 
Prevention Workshop.'' Comments may be submitted in writing or on 
diskette in Microsoft Word (please specify version). Mail written 
comments to Judy Ringle, Social Security Administration, Office of the 
Inspector General, Office of the Counsel to the Inspector General, 300 
Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235. As an 
alternative to paper submissions, comments may be sent through 
electronic mail, in Microsoft Word format, to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judy Ringle, Attorney, Office of the 
Inspector General, Office of the Counsel to the Inspector General, 
Social Security Administration, 300 Altmeyer Building, 6401 Security 
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, (410) 966-6906. For information on 
eligibility, claiming

[[Page 51050]]

benefits, or coverage of earnings, call our national toll-free number, 
1-800-772-1213 or TTY 1-800-325-0778.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Type of Meeting: This meeting is open to the public.
    Purpose: The purpose of this meeting is to identify the means to 
prevent identity theft in governmental and private transactions. 
Identity theft is on the rise. The illegal use of Social Security 
numbers (SSNs) and other means of identification by individuals who 
seek to profit from the illegal use of another's identification has 
increased exponentially in recent years. In Fiscal Year 1999 alone, the 
SSA OIG Fraud Hotline received approximately 62,000 allegations 
involving SSN misuse. Specifically, 32,000 allegations had SSN misuse 
implications involving SSA programs and an additional 30,000 
allegations represented SSN misuse with no direct program implications. 
These are very concerning statistics.
    It is imperative that SSNs remain secure with the individual SSN 
holder. However, the proliferate use of the SSN as an identifier not 
only by private entities and corporations, but also by medical 
providers and government entities, reduces the security of SSNs and 
increases the likelihood of illegal SSN use for purposes of committing 
identity theft. The expansion and popularity of the Internet to effect 
commercial transactions has increased the opportunities to commit 
crimes involving identity theft. At the same time, the expansion and 
popularity of the Internet to post official information for the benefit 
of citizens and customers has increased opportunities to obtain SSNs 
for illegal purposes.
    While accurate means of identification are a necessity for 
commercial and private entities, medical providers and governmental 
entities, as well as individuals, when such means of identification are 
subject to misuse and fraud, it is of little use to those who need it 
most.
    How to decrease the opportunity for disclosure and misuse of SSNs 
will be the subject of this workshop. The competing interests of 
individuals, concerned with irresponsible SSN disclosure and criminal 
SSN misuse, must be balanced against the legitimate needs of medical 
providers, law enforcement and other governmental entities, and 
commercial establishments to maintain clearly identifiable records.
    To inform the SSA OIG prior to the workshop, we are seeking views 
on this subject from industry representatives, consumer 
representatives, the academic community, and the larger public from the 
United States and other countries, including views on the elements of 
fair and effective methods of victim assistance and remediation. Views 
are welcome on any aspect of this subject.

    Dated: August 10, 2000.
James G. Huse, Jr.,
Inspector General of Social Security.
[FR Doc. 00-21322 Filed 8-21-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P