TEMPE, Ariz., Feb. 1, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The state of Texas currently ranks as the #3 state in the nation for most identity theft complaints filed in 2009, according to a 2010 report by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). As a result of the prevalence of identity theft in the state, Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell has declared February 6-12 as "Identity Theft Awareness Week" in order to strengthen efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement to help educate consumers and businesses on how to protect themselves against identity theft.
In addition to the Mayoral Proclamation, Sheriff Greg Hamilton and the Travis County Sheriff's Office will be hosting a free, two-day advanced identity theft summit presented by FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association ( FBI-LEEDA ) and LifeLock, Inc.
LifeLock, the industry leader in proactive identity theft protection, and FBI-LEEDA have been working in partnership for more than two years to present the award-winning identity theft summit and will provide attendees with the latest information on identity theft trends, new techniques, and investigative methods. Class participants will be provided with hands-on experience using some of the tools and methods criminals use to compromise personally identifiable information. The event in Austin marks the 50th law enforcement training event presented by LifeLock.
The advanced two-day summit will mark the sixth presentation by FBI-LEEDA and LifeLock for law enforcement in Texas since February 2009 and the first two-day course in Texas. Previous one-day courses have been held in Houston, Galveston, Fort Hood, Dallas and Austin.
The FTC reports that employment-related fraud tops the list of identity theft complaints in the nation's largest state with more than 7,000 complaints filed related to this issue. The same report shows that more than 28,000 Texans filed an identity theft complaint with the Federal Trade Commission in 2009.
As part of an ongoing nationwide series of free, interactive training sessions offered through a partnership between LifeLock and FBI-LEEDA, the summit has increased law enforcement's knowledge base on this crime. Since October 2008, the series has reached 35 different cities across the country and educated more than 3,200 law enforcement officials from more than 1,100 different agencies.
Details for the Two-Day Identity Theft Summit in Austin, TX:
- The Austin two-day summit will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 8 and Wednesday, February 9 at the Travis County Sheriff's Office, Keith George Ruiz Building, 5555 Airport Blvd., Austin, TX 78751.
In addition to the law enforcement summits, LifeLock aims to further educate consumers on identity theft and empower them to start protecting themselves from one of the nation's fastest growing crimes by hosting numerous free educational presentations around the country. The LifeLock Speakers Series program provides attendees with a better understanding of the various risks associated with identity theft, current trends of the crime, and the diverse ways identity theft can happen.
About LifeLock
LifeLock, Inc. () is an industry leader in proactive identity theft protection. Since 2005, LifeLock has been providing consumers with the tools and confidence they need to help protect themselves from identity theft. The company has a strong focus on educating consumers and working with law enforcement and elected officials to better understand the increasing threats of identity theft. A multiple award-winning organization, LifeLock has been recognized by AlwaysOn to the Top Global Company 250 list, by Arizona Corporate Excellence as Arizona's Fastest Growing Company, and most recently by the American Business Awards as having the Best New Product or Service of the Year for the LifeLock Identity Alert™ system.
CONTACT: Cortney Lanik Manager, Educational Programs 480-457-2032 Cortney.Lanik@lifelock.com