http://www.steinreport.com/index.html

Welcome To Arizona, America's ID Theft Capital

"Arizona has affirmed its reputation as an ID-theft hotbed, posting more per capita complaints than any other state in 2006, the Federal Trade Commission reported Wednesday. It was the fourth consecutive year that Arizona led the nation in per capita ID theft, which refers to a range of crimes including stolen credit-card and utility accounts, loan applications under fake names, job applications using counterfeit Social Security cards and so on," the Arizona Republic reports. "'I think what's driving it is our illegal-immigrant population,' said David Barton, who specializes in employment law at Quarles & Brady in Phoenix. 'All the border states are in the same boat.' In Arizona, employment-related fraud accounts for about one-third of total ID-theft complaints. Barton said he feels these crimes are less severe than thefts that directly harm a victim's finances or borrowing capacity, such as stolen credit cards or applying for loans under a fake name."

Commenters at the Republic site have taken issue with Barton's insouciance regarding ID theft. "Tell that to the victim that has their state and federal tax refund held because they didn't claim wages on a job they never worked at. And all the hoops that person has to go through to prove that they never worked there when they are audited," said one.