Originally published February 16 2006
Marriott time share division discovers vital data files are missing
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Officials at Marriott Vacation Club International have announced that data files containing credit card information and social security numbers for 206,000 customers have been missing.
The company notified the Secret Service over the past two weeks, and has also told credit card companies and other financial institutions about the loss of the tapes.
Company officials said they delayed making the matter public until they had researched what information was on the tapes and whom it affected, and determined the issue was sensitive enough to warrant a broad disclosure.
"At this point, we are taking all things into consideration," company spokesman Ed Kinney said.
The Vacation Club has told time-share owners, customers and the division's employees to be on the alert for changes to their credit histories or accounts.
In 2005, there were at least 134 data breaches affecting more than 57 million people, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center, a California nonprofit that helps people hurt by identity theft and lobbies on computer-privacy issues.
Last February, ChoicePoint Inc. disclosed that it had released thousands of reports containing names, addresses, Social Security numbers and financial information to people posing as officials in legitimate insurance, debt-collection and check-cashing businesses.
In January, thieves stole computers from Science Applications International Corp. of San Diego that contained personal data on thousands of current and past employees, including former military and intelligence officials.
There are about 10 million cases of identify theft a year, with total losses of $53 billion, said Robert Douglas, a Colorado privacy consultant and chief executive of PrivacyToday.com.
The costly identity theft schemes have caused state and federal lawmakers to fight for tighter protection of personal data and quick disclosures of breaches.
In 2003, California became the first state to pass a rigorous disclosure law requiring that organizations inform individuals if their personal information is compromised.
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