Claim forms stemming from ChoicePoint debacle go out

The Federal Trade Commission has begun mailing claim forms to more than 1,400 consumers involved in the ChoicePoint identity theft debacle.

The claim forms stem from a $15 million FTC settlement with ChoicePoint over allegations the data broker's security and record-handling procedures violated consumers' privacy rights and federal laws.

Last year, ChoicePoint acknowledged that more than 163,000 consumers had their personal information compromised when the company inadvertently sold the data to identity thieves. In January, ChoicePoint reached a settlement with the FTC, in which it would pay $10 million in civil penalties and $5 million for consumer redress.

Although the FTC is mailing out reimbursement claims to consumers who believe they have suffered out-of-pocket expenses in connection with the ChoicePoint debacle, it is also providing claim forms that can be downloaded.

The deadline for submitting claim forms is February 4.

[mindspeakr]

Cost associated with disputing claims with your health insurance carrier???

Dawn, did you even read the claims form? How many of those identity theft victims had someone impersonate them in order to obtain medical services under the victim's health insurance program? There were several articles this summer in national pubs that mentioned medical identity theft but none tied it specifically to Choicepoint. This seem newsworthy and should be fully disclosed.

[slipshft]

Why just these people?

I don't think that they should exclude anyone from getting part of a settlement. This is not the first time they have put private information into the wild, its just one time that they got caught. Companies like these only serve one purpose, to make money for themselves, no matter what the cost to the public.