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GTC Tuesday: Classes from XML to Security

"People sit in Internet cafes in Lagos and send e-mails all day. They have no money, and they can make thousands of dollars"

Tuesday's GTC East in Albany, N.Y., featured full and half-day classes in everything from Advanced XML Development to Security Boot Camp, Contract Management and Identity Theft.

The Identity Theft session was presented by Joseph Kelly of the U.S. Secret Service and Stephanie Kohli of the New York State DMV.

Kelly outlined many of the various scams now operating on the Internet and elsewhere, following the convoluted trail of how they are done, what tools are available online for the scammers, and how investigation and law enforcement efforts proceed.

Many of the scams originate overseas, said Kelly. The Nigerian scams are unlikely to be stopped anytime soon, it seems, as Kelly said the U.S. Secret Service put an office in Nigeria, but closed it because of lack of cooperation by the Nigerian government. "People sit in Internet cafes in Lagos," he said, "and send e-mails all day. They have no money, and they can make thousands of dollars. We can't go to Nigeria and arrest them." The elderly are most vulnerable to the scams, Kelly said, as they may not understand what's happening.

Both Kelly and Kohli focused on the legal aspects of the various categories of identity theft, how and why they are perpetrated, what statutes are applicable, and how they are prosecuted. The Federal Trade Commission was cited as a good source of information on identity theft.

Some practical low-tech methods of protecting yourself include making copies of your identification documents, credit cards and licenses especially the ones carried in a wallet or purse. Also most credit reporting firms are required to give a free credit report once a year so the person can check for illicit use of personal information or credit. Classes continue tomorrow.
Wayne E. Hanson served as a writer and editor with e.Republic from 1989 to 2013, having worked for several business units including Government Technology magazine, the Center for Digital Government, Governing, and Digital Communities. Hanson was a juror from 1999 to 2004 with the Stockholm Challenge and Global Junior Challenge competitions in information technology and education.