James Bond 007, Identity Theft Expert
April 27, 2007
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Identity Theft is not a laughing matter. Identity Theft losses in the U.S.A. totaled more than $106 Billion in 2005 and 2006 on a combined basis, with a corresponding 17.3 Million Identity Theft victims (implied from BBB/Javelin reports). We have been writing several articles per week on the topic, examining a multitude of data, reports and statistics. We have also analyzed various related social and economic consequences. Sometimes, even when examining a subject as serious as Identity Theft, it helps to take a step back, and relate to it from a non-traditional perspective.
Who is the most famous Identity Thief we know, and what can we learn from him?
"The name is Bond, James Bond."
James Bond 007 is supposed to be the good guy, who
always saves the entire world. Even during the height of the Cold War
and the Russian Communist era, James Bond managed to bring the U.S. and
the Soviet Union together, saving both countries from disaster,
sometimes cooperating and falling in love with his Russian counterpart. James
Bond 007 has been accused of chauvinism, arrogance, cynicism,
aloofness, but Identity Theft?
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Absolutely. After all, James
Bond 007 is a Secret Agent. How can one be a secret agent, without
assuming a fake identity? To date, there has been about 21 James Bond
movies made, starting with "Dr. No" in 1962, and ending with "Casino
Royale" in 2006. Another bond movie is expected in 2008.
James Bond has assumed fake identities in most of his films. Below is a
table containing the fake identity used, the relevant film, and the
fake identity trait:
Fake Identity
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Movie |
Trait |
David Somerset
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From Russia With Love (1963)
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Traveling Couple
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Mr. Fisher
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You Only Live Twice (1967)
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Businessman |
Sir Hilary Bray
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On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
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Sable Basilik/London College of Arms
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Peter Franks
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Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
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Felon / Criminal
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Mr. Jones
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Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
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Lodging Couple
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Klaus Hergescheimer
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Diamonds Are Forecer (1971)
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Employee of Whyte Industries
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Burt Saxby
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Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
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Voice of Employee of Willard Whyte
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| Fransisco Scaramanga |
The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)
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Criminal Boss |
| Robert Sterling |
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
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Marine Biologist
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| Colonel Luis Toro |
Octopussy (1983)
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South American Colonel
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| Charles Morton |
Octopussy (1983)
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Businessman
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| James St. John Smythe |
A view To A Kill (1985)
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British Playboy and Inheritor of horse Stables
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James Stock
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A view To A Kill (1985)
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Financial Times Journalist
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Jerzy Bondov
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The Living Daylight (1987)
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Unconscious Man
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Dr. Mikhail Arkov
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The World Is Not Enough (1999)
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Russian Nuclear Scientist
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Van Bierk
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Die Another Day (2002)
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Diamond Smuggler
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Arlington Beech
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Casino Royale (2006)
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Professional Gambler
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Compiled from various sources: movies, www.bondmovies.com, www.imdb.com, www.britmovie.co.uk, and others...
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| James Bond 007 did not commit Identity Theft to enrich
himself, but to ultimately halt a criminal threatening the world. It is
for such reason that most viewers would not call him an Identity Thief,
but a "Spy", or a "Secret Agent". The identities undertaken by James
Bond 007, and the associated traits and characteristics, include
businessmen, criminals, scientists, aristocrats, gamblers, tourists,
and more, as illustrated in the table above. |
 | In order to succeed in his fake identity, James Bond 007 uses a multitude of resources: fake passports, voice synthesizers (as Burt Saxby in Diamonds Are Forever), beautiful women (as wife or other...), fake moustache (Colonel Toro in Octopussy), fake rubber nipple (Scaramanga in The Man With The Golden Gun), fake skills (nuclear/marine scientist, gambler, horse breeder, journalist, etc...), and more.
What lessons can we learn from knowing the most intimate secrets of James Bond 007?
A- Don't trust the voices you hear over the telephone
B- Don't be fooled by a nice suit, or a beautiful escort
C- Don't be impressed by a flattering title
D- Don't be fooled by someone, or some communication, claiming to be from a reputable company you know
E- Don't let others get hold of any of your documents containing Identifying information (James Bond various scanning gadgets, including mini photocopier, credit card scanner, mini camera, etc...do exist)
F- Validate professional badges presented to you (policeman, insurance agent, social worker, etc...)
G- Watch out for distractions, hidden cameras, and people lurking in the background (especially when at an ATM machine)
H- Most importantly, expect anyone to betray you. James bond is often able to get help from an insider working for the criminal he is pursuing. Sometimes, he is also betrayed by someone he, or his government, should have trusted. A large percentage of Identity Theft is committed by someone you know (friend, relative, etc...), or someone you should be able to trust (financial institution employee, waiter, someone you let in your home, etc...)
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Identity Thieves are daring. They probably think they
are James Bond 007. We also live in a society that glorifies spying,
secret agents and snoopers. We just have to make sure that we don't
let criminals make use of skills meant to fight crime, for the
purpose of perpetrating crime and Identity Theft against us. Whereas James Bond 007 prefers it "shaken not stirred", we are not trying to shake your confidence in fellow man, but merely hoping to stir your sense of urgency in employing whatever steps necessary to deter Identity Theft.
Additional resources for deterring, detecting and fighting Identity Theft can be found at the FTC website, or by visiting http://www.creditlock.com. |
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