The Oregon Medical Association Partners with the Identity Theft Awareness Group™ To Deliver Identity Theft Education & Protection Services

Portland, OR, July 19, 2007 --(PR.com)-- The Oregon Medical Association (OMA), announced today that the Identity Theft Awareness Group™ (iTAG) was selected to provide identity theft education, privacy training and protection services for the Oregon Medical Association’s statewide membership base. This partnership gives OMA Members a trusted source to provide comprehensive services designed to educate and protect against America’s fastest growing crime.

Approximately 15 million Americans were victimized by some sort of identity-theft related fraud in the 12 months ending mid-2006, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc. These statistics represent more than a 50 percent increase since 2003 when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported 9.9 million American adult identity theft victims.

The OMA conducted a highly competitive review of the industry and with the help of their benefits partner, Kerr-Cruickshank, selected iTAG to provide training and protection services. “The depth of knowledge and experience along with the educational support provided by the Identity Theft Awareness Group™ was a vital factor in this decision,” said Jo Bryson, CAE, Executive Director of the Oregon Medical Association.

“This crime attacks the very foundation of our economy -- and recent events have shown that anyone can become a victim,” said David Bruerd, a ‘Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist’ with the Identity Theft Awareness Group™.

Identity theft is frequently associated with credit-related fraud, but credit reports only reveal a tiny fraction of the threat and potential damages to victims. The life-crippling dangers identity theft victims experience are often found in other ways a thief illegally uses personal data such as to obtain a job, driver’s license or passport, seek medical care or as cover for committing other crimes. Because of the multiple ways consumers can be victimized and the complexity of the crime, most studies indicate that victims spend an average of 600 hours restoring their good name.

Since there are no foolproof ways to prevent identity theft, iTAG’s recommended service(s) provide peace of mind to OMA constituents worried about the integrity of their personal information. Managed restoration services allow a highly trained licensed investigator to take the necessary steps to bring the victim back to pre-identity theft status with limited involvement on the victim’s behalf.

"The Oregon Medical Association has a special relationship with our members," said Bryson "and we feel a responsibility to do whatever we can to go above and beyond best practices to protect our members against this often unavoidable crime. Identity theft is serious business and requires a serious response. It was important to us to find a partner that shared our vision for member protection,” said Bryson. “The Identity Theft Awareness Group’s services provide our members with comprehensive solutions.”

About The Oregon Medical Association
In 1874, OMA (www.theoma.org ) began serving the needs of Oregon physicians and their patients. Since the earliest days, OMA has been a vigorous advocate for the medical community, helping to ensure that physicians may continue to practice medicine in their patients' best interests.

The Oregon Medical Association is an organization of 7,400 physicians, physician assistants and medical students organized to serve and support physicians in their efforts to improve the health of Oregonians. Additional information can be found at www.theoma.org.

About Kerr-Cruickshank/The Partners Group
Kerr-Cruickshank/The Partners Group, (www.tpgrp.com) is a financial and insurance advisory firm serving successful individuals and businesses throughout the Pacific Northwest. Collectively, our partners specialize in educating clients on the most efficient and effective ways to protect assets, grow wealth, and maximize employee benefit programs. For more information contact (800) 434-4662.

About The Identity Theft Awareness Group™ (iTAG)
iTAG (www.identitytheftawareness.com) has grown to become a national organization and the Northwest’s premiere agency dedicated to educating and protecting consumer's and businesses on current and evolving identity theft trends. iTAG’s ultimate goal is to help reduce the often debilitating effects created by this often unavoidable crime. For more information contact (888)817-7574 or info@identitytheftawareness.com.

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