FTC Red Flags identity theft protection rules to hit Nov. 1

Baring a last minute delay, the Federal Trade Commission is set to enforce its identity theft rules known as Red Flags on Nov. 1.


The rules have been delayed three times already and were originally set to become practice Nov. 1, 2008.

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Under the Red Flags rules all companies or services that regularly permit deferred payments for goods or services, including entities such as health care providers, attorneys, and other professionals, as well as retailers and a wide range of businesses that invoice their customers must develop a written program that identifies and detects the relevant warning signs - or "red flags" - of identity theft. These may include, for example, unusual account activity, fraud alerts on a consumer report, or attempted use of suspicious account application documents. The program must also describe appropriate responses that would prevent and mitigate the crime and detail a plan to update the program.
Computer World