Courtesy CNET and reported everywhere else.... BOA says that a "'small' number of backup tapes with records detailing the financial information of government employees were lost in shipment to a backup center."

While thus far identity theft resolution has been a small apsect of Caveat's business anytime stories arise of massive thefts of personal information it places our industry in great jeopardy. The data aggregators we utilize every day to prevent fraud and ensure business transparency are prime targets for restrictive and reactionary legislation meant to protect what many Americans view as their eroding privacy. And it doesn't help when huge financial institutions go all butterfingers and leave data on 1.2 million customers lying around.

-- MDT

Labels: identity theft

John McFarland of Hill & Associates, a Hong Kong-based security and risk management consultancy suggests such a thing in a recent article in the Weekend Standard. He argues that that when and if public offerings of hedge funds are allowed an independent corporate investigator should be responsible for conducting an integrity review of the offering.

-- MDT

Private Investigator Paul Dank of Advanced Surveillance Group based in Mt. Clemens, Michigan was recognized recently, with the Tracy Minnella Award for work done on behalf of victims of domestic violence.

And an article about Tracy Minella and how the award came to bear her name.

-- MDT

In their Jan/Feb 2005 issue P.I. Magazine has an interesting interview conducted by Jimme Mesis (Ed. in Chief) with Joel Winston (Associate Director of the FTC, Division of Financial Practices) on the legal guidelines for pretextual interviews, a longtime tool of investigators.

While Caveat as a rule does not conduct pretextual interviews, it doesn't hurt to keep abreast of how the FTC's regulation effects this aspect of our industry.

As for what Mesis and Winston have to say on the subject, their enlightening conversation can be read here.

-- MDT

A nice piece entitled "Scrutinising Banking" from the Oxford Business Group focusing on money laundering accusations in Jordan. The lead:

"Amidst allegations of money laundering for organisations associated with the Palestinian Intifada and claims of insufficient internal controls, the Amman-based Arab Bank has been trying to weather a heavy storm in recent weeks. Yet many are dubious about the culpability of Arab Bank - and also question how responsible a lender is for its customers' spending choices."

And the rest.

-- MDT

Labels: money laundering