As many as 88 million Americans identities are at risk of theft in the wake of a steady stream of data breaches since February 2005 s at ChoicePoint Inc. Robert Siciliano, personal security and identity theft expert, said circumstances call for changes to rules that currently disallow consumers in many states from requesting a credit freeze.

"The credit freeze is far better than monitoring," said Siciliano, who presents workshops to Fortune 500 companies nationwide and is president of IDTheftSecurity.com. "A credit freeze locks access to your credit, whereas a monitoring service simply alerts you that someone has gained access. Then you still have to deal with itaand it s a real headache."

Author of "The Safety Minute: 01," Siciliano provides consumer education solutions to Fortune 500 companies and their clients. Siciliano discussed identity theft on CNBC s "On the Money" multiple times in January and, recently, on NBC s "Today Show."

On June 19, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) updated its chronology of the data breaches that have occurred since word reached the news media in February 2005 of an elaborate social engineering operation that had pilfered ChoicePoint s massive database. According to PRC, 88 million Americans are at risk of identity theft as a direct result of these documented breaches.

"An untold number of people in addition to that 88 million are also probably at risk for identity theft," said Siciliano. "Are we going to make the credit freezeasomething with teethaavailable? Or are we just going to go through the motions and offer them little more than the consolation prize, credit monitoring?"

Only 17 of the country s 50 states allow consumers to choose the credit freeze, and prohibitive restrictions in many of those 17 states render the option impractical anyway. Many have called for lifts on credit freeze restrictions. And yet, according to a June 16 report in the Cherry Hill Courier Post, a bill before U.S. Congress actually seeks to pre-empt laws that make the credit freeze available to consumers. The Financial Data Protection Act of 2006 has drawn ire from columnists everywhere and from advocacy groups such as Consumers Union and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.

Following the May 3 theft of a Department of Veterans Affairs laptop from an employee who took the computer home against Department policy, about 17.5 million past and current U.S. veterans are now at risk of identity theft. On June 22, The New York Times reported that the Department is offering all affected veterans one year of free credit monitoring.

"So the thieves will wait a year before using the information," Siciliano concluded. "Identity thieves are smart. They know how to work the system. In response, we make laws that disallow consumers from working that same system. Where s the logic?"

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Identity theft affects us all, which is why Robert Siciliano, president of IDTheftSecurity.com, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients. A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, "The Suze Orman Show," "ABC News with Sam Donaldson," "The Montel Williams Show," "Maury Povich," "Sally Jesse Raphael," and "The Howard Stern Show."

The media may reach Siciliano at 1 (888) SICILIANO (742-4542). Visit his Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com, or his blog, www.IDTheftSecurity.blogspot.com. Siciliano s full contact information follows:

Robert Siciliano

Personal Security Expert

PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)

FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)

E-MAIL: Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com

http://www.idtheftsecurity.com/

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly. They may also contact:

Brent W. Skinner, President

STETrevisions

PHONE: 617-875-4859

FAX: 866-663-6557

E-MAIL: BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz