CALIFORNIA IDENTITY THEFT IS EXPLODING MercuryNews.com | 02/16/2005 | 145,000 Americans' identity data stolen:

Top consumer complaint
Identity theft has exploded in recent years, victimizing about 10 million Americans annually and ranking as the top consumer complaint five consecutive years, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The thieves typically tap into a consumer's accounts or use personal data to apply for fraudulent credit cards they can use on spending sprees. Such crimes cost Americans an estimated $53 billion last year, according to one survey.
Most crooks ``hack'' into data files or steal computers. In October, the University of California notified about 600,000 state residents that they were at risk after a hacker attack. And last month, burglars stole computers from Science Applications International in San Diego that stored personal data on tens of thousands of people, including former secretaries of defense, CIA directors and White House counterterrorism advisers.
ChoicePoint reportedly discovered the scam in October. So far, law enforcement officials have identified about 750 victims of identity fraud."