TEMPE, Ariz., Feb. 28, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a world of unprecedented attacks on our personal information, identifying potential threats and helping to defend against them is increasingly important. Identity theft includes more than fraudulent credit card charges; these threats span across IRS fraud, medical fraud, loan fraud and employment fraud, all of which are not easily remedied. On Friday, March 2, LifeLock and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA) will present a free, one-day training on identity theft. Open to active law enforcement officials, participants will engage with the top identity theft investigators in the field to learn the various tools and methods employed by criminals today. Hosted by the Michigan Identity Theft Task Force, the course will address specific identity theft issues in Michigan as well as state laws related to the crime.
According to the Federal Trade Commission's 2010 Consumer Sentinel Report, identity theft tops the list of consumer complaints for the 11th consecutive year. The report shows that the top identity theft complaint filed from Michigan residents was government documents or benefits fraud. This type of complaint was also reported to be the #1 reported identity theft over all states.
"Government documents and benefits fraud can be extremely complex to resolve," said Todd Davis, LifeLock Chairman and CEO. "The surge of these reports to our law enforcement can become overwhelming and confusing given all the different variables and parties involved. Fox News recently reported the IRS admitting to being overwhelmed by the surplus of reports, turning away crowds of consumers simply trying to report their victimizations. While they're offices may be overwhelmed, our hope is that through our law enforcement training our officials can better understand how to handle these reports and investigations."
The summit is open to police chiefs, sheriffs, investigators, detectives, patrol officers and support staff, the training will include a historical perspective on the crime as well as emerging technologies. Participants will have the opportunity to share past experiences as they develop a set of "best practices" to use when working investigations.
This award-winning training will be the 4th summit presented to Michigan officials, previously presented in Brownstown, Traverse City and Ann Arbor. Since October 2008 FBI-LEEDA and LifeLock have presented more than 86 free trainings around the country, reaching more than 5,900 law enforcement officials representing more than 2,000 different agencies.
Details for the Southfield Identity Theft Summit:
- The Southfield summit will be held from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Friday, March 2 at the Michigan First Credit Union, 27000 Evergreen Road, Lathrup Village, MI 48076.
As a leader in proactive identity theft protection, LifeLock understands the importance of educating consumers. In coordination with the summits for law enforcement, LifeLock also provides free education to consumers nationwide. To learn more about LifeLock's educational initiatives or to schedule a free presentation, visit LifeLock.com.
About LifeLock
LifeLock, Inc. is an industry leader in identity theft protection. Since 2005, LifeLock has been relentlessly protecting identities by providing consumers with the tools and confidence they need to help protect themselves from identity theft and manage their credit. The company has a strong focus on educating consumers and working with law enforcement and elected officials to better understand the increasing threats of identity theft. A multiple award-winning organization for two consecutive years, LifeLock has been recognized by Inc. magazine on their annual list of top 500 fastest growing privately held businesses in the United States and by the American Business Awards as having the 2011 Customer Service Team of the Year. In August 2011, Javelin Strategy & Research named LifeLock Command Center and LifeLock Credit Score Manager as "Best in Prevention" in their annual Identity Protection Vendor Report.
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