Identity theft speaker coming to CSC
John Sileo, a highly successful Colorado businessman who had his identity stolen to the tune of $300,000, will speak on that gut-wrenching experience in Memorial Hall at Chadron State College twice on Tuesday, Sept. 26.
Sileo’s appearance is part of CSC’s Distinguished Speaker Series. His presentations will be at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Both sessions will be open to the public without charge. The first 100 people to attend either session will receive copies of Sileo’s book, “Stolen Lives.”
Sileo recalls that it was a beautiful fall day in 2003 when he opened the front door on his home and was told by a government investigator that he was being investigated for the theft of $300,000. For the next two years, he didn’t know whether he would be waking up at home or in jail. He had no idea that these crimes were being committed, using his name, for more than 16 months.
It was especially alarming when he discovered that a friend was responsible. While the thief operated behind the safety of Sileo’s identity, John was held legally and financially responsible for the felonies that were committed. He spent more than 500 hours and $9,000 with a criminal lawyer in the next two years to prove his innocence.
That started his crusade. He didn’t want others to go through what he’d been through. So he wrote “Stolen Lives: Identity Theft Prevention Made Simple.” He also began telling his story around the country.
Sileo said most people don’t understand that their identity is their most valuable asset and give little thought on how to protect it. “Your identity is your net worth.Your entire financial life. Your home, car, credit rating, checking account, mutual funds and even future earnings are only a portion of what’s at stake,” he said.
Sileo’s mission is to produce an ongoing resource for protection that goes beyond basic checklists. He believes “Stolen Lives” will help readers accumulate a protective fortress.
An honor graduate of Harvard, Sileo is the founder of four businesses and acting president of two more. He trains corporation employees how to detect and deter data theft and financial fraud on all rungs of the corporate ladder. His company also specializes in computer security with expertise in spyware, viruses, hacking, social engineering and data migration.
Category: Campus News