(Columbus) Today Attorney General Thurbert Baker and The Stop Identity Theft Network hosted a Town Hall Meeting at the Davidson Center on Columbus State University to discuss the growing epidemic of Identity Theft. Over a hundred concerned citizens and business owners attended the Town Hall Meeting to discuss way to prevent identity theft, recent trends among these thieves, and what steps businesses can take to protect the personal information of their clients.

Joining the Attorney General Baker and The Stop Identity Theft Network District were District Attorney Gray Conger, Sheriff Ralph Johnson, Mayor Bob Poydasheff, Solicitor Ben Richardson, John Ford of Equifax, and Skeet Rolling of TSYS. Steve Edwards from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Cindy Liebes from the Federal Trade Commission and Eddie Garen from the Office of Consumer Affairs, Sgt Karen Gaskins from the Columbus Police Department and Sgt. Larry Tew from the Muscogee Sheriff’s Department also participated in the panel

Identity Theft is the fastest growing consumer crime in the state and in the country. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission reported that over 4,700 Georgians were victims of identity theft. In 2001, the Georgia was ranked 7th in the country for the number of identity theft complaints filed. In 2002, Georgia’s ranking dropped to 13th.

Contact Information:

Natalie Disantis 404-651-9365