Governor Doyle's Office of Privacy Protection Investigation Leads to Criminal Charges

11-06-2006
Carla Vigue, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2162
Glen Loyd, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, 608-224-5007

Governor Jim Doyle today announced a Janesville hotel check-in clerk has been charged with identity theft in Columbia County as a result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Office of Privacy Protection. The Governor created the Office of Privacy Protection in April to crack down on identity theft, strengthen enforcement and toughen penalties against identity criminals, as well as prevent identity crimes and help victims.

“Identity theft will not be tolerated in this state, which is exactly why I created the Office of Privacy Protection,” Governor Doyle said. “Identity theft is a growing problem in Wisconsin that costs businesses and consumers $570 million annually. We are working to help consumers through prevention, quick response and tough penalties.”

The Office of Privacy Protection responded to a complaint received on August 2nd from a woman who had made reservations at the Sunrise Lodge in Janesville. The victim has more than $2,000 of illegal charges on her credit card.

Steven R. Ozia and two of his friends, Darrell Roberts and DeShawn Turner – all from Chicago – have been charged with identity theft.

The investigation found that Ozia is on parole for theft by false representation and has a recent record of multiple felony convictions for false representation. He had been hired by Sunrise Lodge as a check-in clerk and allegedly used his position to steal the customer’s identity.
According to the criminal complaint filed by the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office, when the woman called to make reservations, Ozia asked her to fax him personal identity information and a copy of her credit card. He then used the woman’s credit card to pay cell phone bills and buy computer related products. Ozia, Roberts and Turner made 13 attempts to use the woman’s credit card; six were successful.

Other customers of the Sunrise Lodge may also be at risk. A hotel manager has reported that Ozia had access to a database of customers including their credit card numbers. The Office of Privacy Protection has suggested that the hotel notify the consumers about the security breech, but the hotel has not responded. Governor Doyle has proposed strengthening the data breach notification law to establish penalties for failure to notify consumers when a breach has occurred.

The Office of Privacy Protection serves as a centralized hub to educate consumers and businesses on how to protect themselves against identity theft and provide comprehensive assistance to those who have been victimized. Victims are able to contact the office by calling toll-free at 1-800-422-7128 or on the web at privacy.wi.gov.


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