LifeLock CEO’s Identity Stolen 13 Times
I wrote an application for a banking client a few years ago that required a valid SSN. In addition to using the information available on ssa.gov to check the validity of a number, I built a simple filter to exclude valid, but otherwise fraudulent numbers. While none of the steps I took are a bulletproof measure against identity theft, they do lighten the load a bit.<p>I cross-referenced the SSN death index to ensure dead people had not risen from the grave to apply for credit. I also excluded the popular "fake" SSNs used in advertising (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_number#SSNs_invalidated_by_use_in_advertising" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_number#SSNs_inv...</a>), and <i>I most definitely added Todd Davis's number to the list</i>. This last step seemed like a no-brainer given all of the publicity at the time.<p>While I can understand a small boutique store not going to those lengths to prevent a fraudulent account, I am a little surprised that AT&T and Verizon were among the casualties.