Identity-theft policies approved by city board, power board

The Dyersburg City Board recently addressed the issue at a finance committee meeting, recommending two separate policies to prevent identity theft in different areas of city service go before the full city board at Monday evening's meeting. The board followed through by approving both prevention policies.

"Identity theft seems to be a major concern," City Recorder Gleyn Twilla told board members at Monday evening's full board meeting. "There are two aspects: utility collection, (which covers) providing faulty or fraudulent information to contract utilities and (the way we handle) sensitive information in personnel, law enforcement and city courts. Information like driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers, addresses and age - the type of things you need for identity fraud."

Twilla told members of the board that City Hall discovers attempts at fraud on a weekly basis, with some residents trying to turn on utilities for friends or family members who have left city service owing money.

To minimize those situations, as well as circumstances where imposters turn on utilities and accumulate a bill under someone else's name, the board approved the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts Model "Red Flags" Rule Identity Theft Program.

According to Twilla, Dyersburg residents currently are required to show two forms of identification to contract for city utilities. Security cameras at City Hall are also used to record utility transactions.

The policy adds further restrictions and red-flag situations to help detect this kind of identity theft in its early stages.

The second policy passed by the city was a model identity-theft compliance plan from MTAS, the Municipal Technical Advisory Service. The policy addresses protecting sensitive information used by personnel departments, law enforcement offices and the city court system.

"There were two colleges in Middle Tennessee who (recently) had major breeches," said Twilla. "(With this policy) we've got to lock anything up - that means locking up some offices and some spaces we didn't have to lock up before."

The MTAS model provides the background, purpose and scope of the policy, defines sensitive information and gives detailed rules for dealing with electronic and hard-copy distribution of sensitive materials.

"We've got one policy just for utilities and one MTAS model that best suits all the rest of us," said Twilla. "We are trying to get this so it best suits the needs (of each city department.)"

Alderman Bart Williams made the motion to approve the resolutions, with alderman Charles McCright adding a second. The motion was passed unanimously by board members present, including Bob Kirk, Williams, Kevin Chaney, Shannon Walker, Dennis Moody, Lewis Norman, McCright and Mayor John Holden. Alderman Freeman Dudley was absent from the meeting.

At Dyersburg Electric, members of the Power Board passed a similar identity-theft policy at the September meeting. The company already holds strict guidelines for identification and security measures, with DES President and CEO Jimmy Williamson reminding members of the board that the organization has required two forms of identification for many years.

Williamson said requiring a government ID with photo may be sometimes be a difficulty for older residents who are not required to feature a photo on their ID.

"We require positive ID," said Williamson. "(That is a) government-issued ID card with photo and something government issued with your Social Security number on it. We've been requiring two forms of ID for a long time; that's the reason we collect 133 percent of our debt. That's how we track our bad debts."

Williamson said established customers who restart services are also required to show the proper identification.

"We have 12,500 customers and 4,000 to 5,000 moves," said Williamson. "Unfortunately, we can't know everybody. You have to show your ID again. We've (dealt with) divorces. We've been there, done all that stuff and we don't want to go back there again."

The Dyersburg Electric System currently records any transaction with money in the building, a policy that recently helped when a counterfeit $100 bill was passed through the office.

"We had 1,500 people or more in the office that day," said Williamson. "And it passed the pen test."

Williamson said because of the existing policy, DES officials were able to pull the recordings of the person passing the counterfeit money to aid in the investigation.