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8 Million Hotel Guests Face Risk of Identity Theft
John Ritchie
544869 Ontario Limited
This is the first in a series of articles which will increase your awareness about Identity Theft.
In August 2008, up to 8 million people were thought to be at risk for some degree of Identity Theft, after the Best Western hotel chain, the world's largest hotel chain, disclosed that their on line reservation system had been subjected to a successful breach of security, including loss of personal information pertaining to any guest who either made a reservation or checked in to any of their accommodations in Europe during the first eight months of the year. At this time it is not clear whether or not the information obtained, includes reservations made and then subsequently cancelled.
It is estimated that information pertaining to any guest of the Best Western Chain who stayed at a Best Western Hotel in Europe during the past year, may have been compromised, and it is thought that the data was being sold by a web site operated by an organised crime gang based in Russia.
Data reported as stolen includes:
Home addresses,
Credit Card details,
Employment information.
The company is investigating how the breach of security happened, but at this time does not have any answers.
This is a further, real life instance, one of many over the past few years, involving loss of data from corporate or government owned data facilities that were thought to be protected and secure.
I will update this article if and when I obtain further information regarding investigations, fall out and or arrests.
John Ritchie,
Copyright to this article belongs to John Ritchie. http://www.johnritchieonline.com
For more detailed information on Identity Theft, and to sign up for our 5 part e-course, go to http://www.identitytheftpreventionplan.com.
You may download and distribute this article freely and without restrictions
You must not, however, delete the resource box link.
He spent over 17 years in the banking industry in the U.K and then a further 8 years in Canada. For the last 20 years he was a senior executive for two private sector companies. He was chief operating officer and chief financial officer for the first company and then Quality Manager and General Manager, for a company which was ISO registered. As a recently retired Canadian Small Business advisor and mentor, he is moving his attention into the internet world of small business, where his past experience and knowledge, will prove of significant value and will grow as he learns how the internet business world thinks and works. He has undertaken an internet joint venture with three colleagues that he has met through a membership site in 2007 and intends to expand his horizons during 2008.
Article submitted Sunday, September 07, 2008
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