|
Dr. Credit
|
|
On
the heels of their settlement with the FTC for allegedly dodging
consumers’ calls (see issue 00:02:02) Equifax is again in the news. Alvarado
Orlando Clarke has been accused of adjusting the credit histories of as
many as 60 people in North Carolina. Authorities estimate that $1.2
million in credit was issued based on the phony records. According
to the indictment, in 1998 Clarke had his credit report falsified at
Equifax, so that he could purchase a $270,000 home and Mercedes Benz. It
seems he was so successful that he decided to offer his services to
others, as “Dr. Credit.” The
indictment states that Dr. Credit, AKA Clarke, charged $1000 to $2000 for
his services. It is alleged that through a third party, Clarke would have
Kimberly Edward, an Equifax employee in Atlanta, falsify credit histories.
Edwards is said to have toyed with the credit histories, removing negative
information and replacing it with positive data, and then splitting the
$1000 with Clarke. Both are charged with multiple counts of fraud. Nine
people in all are named in the indictment, including a licensed mortgage
broker who allegedly helped Clarke secure financing for a new home in
return for Clarke’s help in changing her credit history at Equifax and
an employee of a tax preparation company who allegedly provided false pay
stubs and tax returns. This
is yet another example of the fact that no matter how stringent an
organization’s encryption, firewalls, and security protocols are, the
data is only as secure as the least ethical employee.
© Copyright
1995-2000 |
