Marriott Vacation Club International Reports Large-Scale Identity Theft: Timeshare Owners Among Those Affected
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Earlier this week, MVCI reported stolen computer tapes containing personal information about more than 206,000 employees, customers, and others
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the US, with almost 10 million victims last year alone. And while those figures reflect only statistics in this country, the rest of the world is hardly immune to this serious and rapidly growing threat.
Just this week, Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI) reported the apparent theft from their Orlando, Florida offices, of backup computer tapes containing information about 206,000 of their employees, timeshare owners, and timeshare customers. This tape DOES, according to Orlando news media reports, contain sensitive personal information, including credit card data, home addresses, and Social Security numbers.
Regarding the tapes, which were reportedly discovered missing in mid November, MVCI President, Stephen P. Weisz is quoted as saying, “We have recently mailed notifications to associates, timeshare owners, and timeshare customers and are available to answer any questions they may have.”
Are you a Marriott Vacation Club International member? Do you own Marriott timeshare? If you think you could have been affected, don’t wait for word to come in the mail. Contact Marriott Vacation Club International now at 407 206-6000, or visit MVCI’s contact page which lists many international toll free contact numbers.
If you learn that your confidential information has potentially been compromised, take immediate action. Follow any precautionary steps recommended by the MVCI representative with whom you speak. These folks are there to help timeshare owners.
With the rapid growth of this crime, there are now many helpful resources to assist victims. Check the website of the Federal Trade Commission for tips, advice, and additional contact information.
You may find it necessary to notify the three credit reporting bureaus. Should you decide to file a fraud alert with any of the credit reporting agencies, all three will place a copy of the report in your file. Checking your credit report is easy and is wise to do on a regular basis.
Equifax, Inc.
P.O. Box 740123
Atlanta, Georgia 30374-0123
800 525-6285
http://www.equifax.com/
Experian
P. O. Box 9532
Allen, Texas 75013
888 397-3742
http://www.experian.com/
Trans Union Corporation
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, California 92834
800 680-7289
http://www.transunion.com/