The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "identity theft" ...
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Grave Mistakes
Most people have never heard of the Social Security Administration's so-called "Death Master File"- a database of deceased Americans created in 1980 under the Freedom of Information Act as an anti-fraud tool. But each year, many Americans discover that they are listed as deceased by the federal government. Identity thieves have learned to use the Death Master File to commit hundreds of thousands of acts of identity theft for tax fraud, including taking Social Security numbers of recently deceased children.
Tags: Social Security; Fraud; Death Master File; deceased Americans
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Digital Footprint & Sunshine Law
Our investigation led to a politician's resignation and criminal charges using social network search engines, traditional online databases and open records requests to identify his criminal past and as many as seven females who were pictured in nude photos, harassed, stalked or suffered cyber identity theft.
Tags: broadcast; criminal past; politician; resignation
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Grave Mistakes
An investigation showing how the database of deceased Americans created in 1980 under the Freedom of Information Act accidentally lists thousands of Americans as deceased, suffering frozen bank accounts, refused credit cards, denied student and mortgage loans, or arrests for suspected identity theft. It also exposes how identity thieves have learned to use the filed to commit numerous acts of identity theft for tax fraud.
Tags: identity theft; deceased; federal records; tax fraud
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ID Theft: Who's Got Your Number
The reporter discovers an unexpected and enormous surge in the latest ID theft schemes -- stealing tax refunds and scamming free medical care.
Tags: ID theft; identity; identity theft
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Stolen Identities
After finding suspicious documents, the story reveals a huge identity theft ring. The police ignored the evidence, but the investigators used these records to track down the individuals involved in the scandal. After tracking down the individuals involved, the police decided to arrest, charge, and eventually convict them. Further, every victim had their identity returned to them.
Tags: local hospital; St. Anthony Central Hospital; law enforcement; patient records; stolen data; hospital worker; Sheriff Department
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"Exploring E-Verify"
In this series, Christine Rogel investigates the employee verification system, E-Verify. The program is individualized by state, and in Arizona, it is mandatory for all employees. The purpose of the program is to prevent identity theft and ensure legal employment of all workers.
Tags: identity theft; employee verification program; illegal immigrant
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Zero Day Threat
"Zero Day Threat is an accessible, important primer on an insidious public hazard that touches us all. As such, it sets the agenda for wrenching changes in business practices and public policy that must inevitably follow, and, in fact are in the early stages of playing out."
Tags: bank; finance; credit; identity; steal; cyber; crooks; truth; money; theft;
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Early on the Case: Identity Theft
A person's identity is stolen in the United States every three seconds. The investigation examined the underground world of identity theft and the online chat rooms where scammers buy and sell social security numbers, credit card information, bank account numbers and more. The series also investigated medical identity theft.
Tags: identity theft; scam; credit card; social security number; medical identity theft; chat room
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Zero Day Threat
"Zero Day Threat is a seminal work that explains how the banking industry's decades-long drive to shape a cashless society, built on too-easy credit, collided with the emergence of the Internet to spawn the fast-expanding world of cybercrime."
Tags: cybercrime; banking industry; Internet; web sites; computer crime; internet scams; identity theft; credit bureau; email virus
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The Wrong Suspect
Kevin Wehner was announced as the prime suspect for the deaths of four Miami-Dade cops after Shawn LaBeet, a violent felon, had stolen his identity four years before. CBS4's investigation revealed that "a combination of both poor police work and lack of communication among local, state and federal agencies allowed Shawn LaBeet to remain free.
Tags: police; identity theft; local agency; state; federal; communication; assault weapons; drivers license; Florida; DMV; Department of Motor Vehicles;