The financial services industry naturally has a great stake in fighting the burgeoning problem of identity theft. So I was interested to see this news today from Canada:
Pivotal Customer Adapts Pivotal CRM to Protect Members Against Identity Fraud
The North Shore Credit Union, based in Vancouver, BC, is reportedly the first financial institution in Canada to implement a phot-ID anti-fraud program in its branches. The 40,000-member credit union says that it has received an "overwhelmingly positive response" from its members, many of whom have voluntarily allowed their photos to be taken and used for verification at the time of a transaction, in lieu of a conventional photo ID.
An excerpt from this news release outlines the scope of the identity-theft problem in British Columbia:
"According to Phonebusters (Canadian anti-fraud call centre), British Columbians recorded the second-highest number of identity theft complaints in Canada in 2003. That same year, the crime cost British Columbians more than $1.8 million, an increase of approximately $600,000 over 2002."
AB -- 1/17/05
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ID theft and ID fraud are a growing problem. I applaud your efforts.