PrivacyToday.com

Global Privacy Issues At The Click Of Your Mouse

 

Home    Contact Us    Privacy News    APC News    Services    Speeches


Curriculum Vitae

Robert Douglas, CEO

PrivacyToday.com

 

Professional Highlights

 

Information Security and Privacy:

 

American Bankers Association, 2002 Regulatory Compliance Conference (June 2-5, 2002) Featured Speaker - “Identity Theft, Pretext Calling & Social Security Numbers: What is the link?”  Session description: Can your bank currently identify, control and prevent the risks associated with ID theft?  This session will explore the urgent need for a top-down approach in ID theft prevention training. We will reveal how to effectively report those crimes and what to expect from Congress in this volatile area.  Other featured speaker:  John Byrne, Senior Counsel and Compliance Manager, American Bankers Association.

 

Bank Compliance Association of Connecticut (May 22, 2002) Featured Speaker – “Identity Theft”.  An in-depth look at the use of "pretext", identity theft, and fraud to defeat information security practices.  A multi-media presentation of methods used by identity thieves, information brokers, and private investigators to illegally access and sell financial institution customer account information.  The latest methods, detection, and prevention presented for all levels of the financial services industry.

 

Florida Statewide Grand Jury Investigating Identity Theft – (May 16, 2002) Appeared and testified before the grand jury.

 

Compass Bank, Understanding Privacy - 2002 (April 10-11, 2002) Employee awareness training program designed to assist employees in understanding their growing role in the protection of personal and confidential customer information.  All employees receive Privacy and Customer Information Security – Employee Awareness Guide © 2001 American Privacy Consultants, Inc.

 

American Bankers Association – Identity Theft Prevention Workshops (October 26 – December 20, 2001) A series of fifteen workshops for financial institutions held regionally across the country to address identity theft. The half-day multi-media workshops covered critical aspects of privacy and customer information security.  Special attention was given to the use of identity theft and pretext to perform account takeover.  Threats to customer information security posed by “information brokers” were also featured. All workshop participants received the comprehensive training guide: Privacy and Customer Information Security – An Employee Awareness Guide.  This guide is a valuable resource for designing, implementing, or supplementing any in-house training program on privacy and customer information security.

 

Beyond The Rhetoric: Confronting The Changing Face Of Organized Crime – Sponsored and hosted by the City of Chicago and the Chicago Police Department (August 6-9, 2001) Workshop Panelist – “Identity Theft”.  A two-hour workshop covering identity theft and related financial crimes for law enforcement personnel from over 34 countries.  Emphasis placed on the newest methods and techniques used by organized crime, identity thieves, information brokers and other criminals to defeat authentication security protocols in the financial services sector.  Co-panelists:  John M. Frazzini, Special Agent, United States Secret Service - Electronic Crimes Task Force; Mark Childers, Special Agent, United States Secret Service - Financial Crimes Division; and, DeMaurice F. Smith, Partner, Latham & Watkins.

 

Chicago Police Department – Training Workshop (August 8, 2001) Workshop Instructor – “Identity Theft and Related Financial Crimes”.  A three-hour training workshop covering identity theft and related financial crimes for detectives and police officers of the City of Chicago, Department of Police.  Emphasis placed on the newest methods and techniques used by organized crime, identity thieves, information brokers and other criminals to defeat authentication security protocols in the financial services sector.

 

American Bankers Association, 2001 Regulatory Compliance Conference (June 17, 2001) Featured Speaker - “Privacy & Identity Theft”.  A three-hour workshop covering key privacy issues for the financial services industry.  Topics included identity theft, pretext inquiries, general privacy issues, recently released exam guidelines, privacy statements, implementing a privacy program, and upcoming legislation at the state and federal level.  Other featured speakers:  John Byrne, Senior Counsel and Compliance Manager, American Bankers Association; and, Richard H. Harvey, Jr., Chief Privacy and Compliance Officer, Chevy Chase Bank.

 

Quad-State Security Officers Conference (May 11, 2001) Featured Speaker – “Identity Theft”.  Presentation of methods used by identity thieves, information brokers, and private investigators to illegally access, sell, and steal financial institution customer assets and account information.  Conference co-sponsored by the Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and Washington Bankers Associations and the Financial Institutions Security Task Force (FIST) - Oregon.

 

American Bankers Association, Call Center Conference (May 7, 2001) Question and Answer Session Panelist – “Hot Topics for Advanced Call Centers: Identify Theft in the Call Center”.  Session Leader: Donald Ghee, Vice-President, Chase Bank.

 

United States General Accounting Office, Report To Congressional Committees (May 2001) – “Financial Privacy: Too Soon to Assess the Privacy Provisions in the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999”.  Interviewed by GAO on several occasions between August 2000 and April 2001 concerning the use of fraud or deception to obtain non-public customer information from a financial institution.

 

American Bankers Association, Identity Theft Prevention Training Program (April 19, 2001) American Privacy Consultants, Inc. selected by the ABA to provide a series of Identity Theft Prevention Training Programs for financial services employees and consumers.

 

United States Federal Trade Commission – “Operation Detect Pretext” (Publicly announced April 18, 2001) Consultant to the Federal Trade Commission for the Commission’s suit to halt the operations of three information brokers who use false pretenses, fraudulent statements, or impersonation to illegally obtain consumers' confidential financial information - such as bank balances - and sell it.

 

American Bankers Association, 2001 Annual Bank Compliance Symposium (March 22, 2001) Panelist - “Privacy/FCRA/ COPPA/ID Theft”.  Other panelists:  Amy S. Friend, Assistant Chief Counsel, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency; Kathleen A. Kordek, Vice-President and Assistant General Counsel, First Virginia Bank.  Moderator: John J. Byrne, Senior Counsel and Compliance Manager, American Bankers Association.

 

United States House of Representatives, Office of the Democratic Leader – District Staff Training Seminar (March 21, 2001) Panelist - “Privacy Issues and Community Outreach”.  Other panelists included representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Center for Democracy and Technology, and AOL.  Topics covered included Identity Theft, Medical Record Privacy, Children and Internet Safety, and Legislative Reforms.

 

Chevy Chase Bank, Understanding Privacy - 2001 (February 27 – March 1, 2001) Employee awareness training program designed to assist employees in understanding their growing role in the protection of personal and confidential customer information.  All employees receive Privacy and Customer Information Security – Employee Awareness Guide © 2001 Chevy Chase Bank, F.S.B. & American Privacy Consultants, Inc.

 

Privacy and Customer Information Security – Employee Awareness Guide © 2001 American Privacy Consultants, Inc. (February 2001) An employee awareness guide designed to assist businesses in protecting confidential and personal customer information.  The guide includes sections on identity theft, pretext inquiries, and general information security.

 

American Bankers Association, 2001 Legislative Liaison Advisory Committee – Annual Winter Conference (February 16, 2001) Featured Speaker – “Security Threats to Confidential Information: The Use of ‘Pretext’, Identity Theft, and Fraud to Defeat Information Security Practices” - An in-depth look at the use of "pretext", identity theft, and fraud to defeat information security practices.  A multi-media presentation of methods used by identity thieves, information brokers, and private investigators to illegally access and sell financial institution customer account information.  The latest methods, detection, and prevention presented for Congressional staff and leaders of the financial services industry.

 

United States Federal Trade Commission – “Operation Detect Pretext” (Publicly announced January 31, 2001) Consultant to the Federal Trade Commission for the Commission’s examination of the use of false pretenses (pretext) as a means to obtain customer information of financial institutions.

 

Washington Bankers Association, 2000 CEO/Bank Directors Conference (December 8, 2000) Featured Speaker – “Identity Thieves, Information Brokers and Private Investigators: A Triple Threat to Information Security Practices” - An in-depth look at the use of "pretext", identity theft, and fraud to defeat information security practices.  A multi-media presentation of methods used by identity thieves, information brokers, and private investigators to illegally access and sell financial institution customer account information.  The latest methods, detection, and prevention presented for all levels of the financial services industry.

 

American Bankers Association, Telephone Seminar (November 28, 2000) Featured Speaker – “Privacy…Gramm-Leach-Bliley And Beyond” – Presentation on “Spotting and Avoiding Pretext Calls”, a training manual authored by Robert Douglas for the ABA and distributed to all ABA member institutions.  The manual emphasizes the need for training financial institution employees to understand and recognize “pretext” phone calls designed to steal customer’s personal financial information by means of identity theft.  The manual provides an introduction to creating a pretext avoidance education, training, and prevention program.

 

American Bankers Association, 2000 Community Bankers Council (November 14, 2000) Featured Speaker & Panelist – “Identity Theft Prevention” – A multi-media presentation of methods used by identity thieves, information brokers, and private investigators to illegally access and sell financial institution customer account information followed by a panel discussion of related identity theft and privacy issues.

 

American Bankers Association/American Bar Association, Twelfth Annual Money Laundering Enforcement Seminar (October 31, 2000) Featured Speaker & Panelist – “Privacy and Anti-Money Laundering Prevention: How to Handle Statutory Inconsistencies and Customer Expectations” – Other panelists: John J. Byrne (moderator), Senior Counsel and Compliance Manager, American Bankers Association; James Sloan, Director, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN); L. Richard Fischer, Partner, Morrison & Foerster; Richard H. Harvey, Vice-President, Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Privacy Officer, Chevy Chase Bank; and, Peter Djinis, Assistant Director, Regulatory Policy, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).  Presentation of methods used by identity thieves, information brokers, and private investigators to illegally access and sell financial institution customer account information followed by a panel discussion on privacy issues relating to the financial services industry.

 

Washington Bankers Association, Compliance Conference (October 24, 2000) Panelist – “A Privacy Panel Discussion” – A general discussion of privacy issues and the financial services industry.  Other panelists: Dave McCrea (moderator), Vice-President, Frontier Bank and Lucy Griffin, Principal, Compliance Management Services, Inc.

 

Washington Bankers Association, Compliance Conference (October 24, 2000) Featured Speaker – “Security Threats To Confidential Information” - An in-depth look at the use of "pretext", identity theft, and fraud to defeat information security practices.  A multi-media presentation of methods used by identity thieves, information brokers, and private investigators to illegally access and sell financial institution customer account information.  The latest methods, detection, and prevention presented for all levels of the financial services industry.

 

American Council of State Savings Supervisors, 2000 Training Seminar (September 18, 2000) Featured Speaker – “Is There Privacy In The Information Age?” – A multi-media presentation on privacy in the Information Age as it applies to the financial services industry.

 

U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Banking and Financial Services (September 13, 2000) Witness – “Hearing on Identity Theft and Related Financial Privacy Issues” – Testimony concerned ongoing and newly emerging threats and methods used by information brokers and identity thieves to defraud financial institutions and their customers of confidential account information.

 

American Bankers Association, Marketing Conference – Marketing Bricks & Clicks: Transitioning Into eFunctionality (September 12, 2000) Moderator – “The New Business Models: Opportunities and Competitive Challenges - A Panel Discussion On Privacy” – Panelists: Amy Bizar, General Counsel, GE Financial Network; Lynne B. Barr, Partner - Goodwin, Procter & Hoar, LLP; Eugene A. Ret, Vice-President/Privacy & Integrated Solutions Manager - Chase Bank; and, Donald B. Taylor, President - Cendant Strategic Marketing Group and FISI-Madison Financial.

 

American Bankers Association, Marketing Conference – Marketing Bricks & Clicks: Transitioning Into eFunctionality (September 11, 2000) Featured Speaker – “The E-volving World of E-Marketing – Privacy & E-Risk” - An in-depth look at the use of "pretext", identity theft, and fraud to defeat information security practices.  A multi-media presentation of methods used by identity thieves, information brokers, and private investigators to illegally access and sell financial institution customer account information.  The latest methods, detection, and prevention presented for all levels of the financial services industry.

 

American Bankers Association, Telephone Seminar (August 23, 2000) Featured Speaker – “Privacy…Gramm-Leach-Bliley And Beyond” – Presentation on “Spotting and Avoiding Pretext Calls”, a training manual authored by Robert Douglas for the ABA and distributed to all ABA member institutions.  The manual emphasizes the need for training financial institution employees to understand and recognize “pretext” phone calls designed to steal customer’s personal financial information by means of identity theft.  The manual provides an introduction to creating a pretext avoidance education, training, and prevention program.

 

Spotting and Avoiding Pretext Calls” (August, 2000) – Author – A training manual for the American Bankers Association and distributed to all ABA member institutions.  The manual emphasizes the need for training financial institution employees to understand and recognize “pretext” phone calls designed to steal customer’s personal financial information by means of identity theft.  The manual provides an introduction to creating a pretext avoidance education, training, and prevention program.

 

Chase, Identity Theft Steering Committee, Telephone Seminar (May 17, 2000) Featured Speaker – Presentation demonstrating where personal financial information is being sold on the Internet and discussion of evolving methods being used by identity thieves to defeat banking security procedures.

 

American Bankers Association, Task Force for the Responsible Use and Protection of Information (May 3, 2000) Keynote Speaker – In-depth presentation on method’s used by “Information Brokers” to illegally obtain customer’s personal financial information through identity theft, fraud and deceit.  Online presentation demonstrating where personal financial information is being sold on the Internet.  Recommendations for defeating these methods.

 

U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Government Reform: Subcommittee on Government Management, Information and Technology (April 12, 2000) Witness – “Hearing on Establishing a Commission for the Comprehensive Study of Privacy Protection” – Testified concerning “Identity Theft” and the access and sale of personal information on the Internet.

 

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Interagency Public Forum (March 23, 2000) Keynote Speaker – “Consumer Information, Privacy, and the Financial Services Industry” – Presentation on privacy in the Information Age as it applies to the financial services industry.

 

American Bankers Association, Telephone Seminar (January 26, 2000) Featured Speaker – “Privacy In The Next Century” – Presentation on the specific “Pretext Calling” method’s used by “Information Brokers” to illegally obtain customer’s personal financial information through identity theft, fraud and deceit.  Recommendations for defeating these methods.

 

American Bankers Association, Privacy Luncheon (1999) Featured Speaker – Presentation on the proliferation of “Information Brokers” selling personal financial information on the Internet after obtaining the information through identity theft and pretext.

 

U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Banking and Financial Services (July 28, 1998) Witness – “Hearing on The Use of Deceptive Practices To Gain Access To Personal Financial Information” – Testified concerning methods used by Information Brokers to defraud financial institutions and their clients of personal financial data.

 

Private Investigation:

 

U.S. v. Al-Sayegh (1997-98) Defense investigator and trial assistant.  Saudi charged with terrorist conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens.  Defendant was also a suspect in the June 1996 truck bomb attack on the Khobar Towers Military Complex in Saudi Arabia that resulted in mass casualties, including the deaths of 19 U.S. Armed Forces personnel stationed there. 

 

U.S. v. Watt (1995-96) Defense investigator.  Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior James G. Watt was charged by the Office of Independent Counsel in a 25-count felony indictment, including perjury and obstruction of justice, involving testimony before Congress and a federal grand jury investigating public corruption within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Defendant pled to one misdemeanor and received probation.

 

U.S. v. Yunis (1987-89) Defense investigator and trial assistant. Case involved the hijacking by terrorists of a Jordanian airliner with American citizens on board.

 

U.S. v. Clyburn; U.S. v. Rivers; U.S. v. Baugh (1989-91) Defense investigator and trial assistant in multiple cases involving allegations of public corruption, bribery and contract fraud on the part of associates of the Mayor of the District of Columbia.  Defendants were all acquitted.

 

U.S. v. Rosenthal (1995-96) Defense investigator for defendant (Luis Castillo) charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.  Case was based upon an undercover police sting operation and involved alleged drug money laundering on the part of one of the largest automobile dealerships in the United States.  Defendant was acquitted.

 

U.S. v. Stokes (1997-98) Defense investigator.  Chief of the Washington, DC Office of Taxi Cabs charged with federal crimes of corruption concerning his duties as a public official in the District of Columbia.  Defendant was convicted.

 

U.S. v. Rayful Edmonds (1988-89) Defense investigator for defendant (Antonio Jones) charged with federal crimes involving the largest drug ring in the history of the District of Columbia.  Defendant was reported to be Edmonds “hit man”.  Defendant was convicted.

 

Maryland v. Albrecht (1991-93) Civil and criminal investigation.  Participated in murder investigation with the Montgomery County Police Homicide Division and the Montgomery County State's Attorney Office of a police officer charged with the on-duty shotgun murder of an unarmed woman.

 

Employment:

 

PrivacyToday.com, Steamboat Springs, CO 1998-Present

   Founder and Chief Executive Officer

   Assist corporations, governments, legislators and the media understand and implement   

   appropriate privacy policies and strategies

     -Author - “Spotting and Avoiding Pretext Calls” - ABA Training Manual

     -Consultant - “Operation Detect Pretext” - United States Federal Trade Commission

     -Author - “Privacy and Customer Information Security - Employee Awareness Guide”

     -Consultant - American Bankers Association - Identity Theft Training Program

   

WBAL – AM 1090, Baltimore, MD 2000-2005

   News/Talk Radio Station

   Show Host (The Rob Douglas Radio Show), 2003-2005

   Columnist, 2002-2005

   Guest Host-current events talk show, 2001-2005

   Commentator-current events talk show, 2000-2005  

 

WMAL – AM 630, Washington, DC 1998-2003

   News/Talk Radio Station

   Guest Host-current events talk show, 1999-2002

   Commentator, 1998-2003

 

Douglas Investigations, Ltd., President 1987-1999

   District of Columbia Private Detective Agency

   Commonwealth of Virginia Private Investigator

   Investigation and trial preparation of complex criminal defense and civil cases

     -Public corruption; terrorism; money laundering; homicide

     -Consultant on protection of financial and proprietary information

 

District of Columbia Public Defender Service, Washington, DC 1983-86

   Investigator, 1983-86

    -Assigned to Senior Felony Trial Attorney

    -Investigation of felonies including homicide, rape, child abuse and robbery

   Law Clerk, 1985-86

    -Assigned to Senior Felony Trial Attorney

    -Criminal defense trial preparation of felony matters

    -Assisted in drafting the legal challenge to the DC Mandatory Minimum     

      Sentencing Law

 

Education:

 

American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, DC 1983-86

   Three years of studies in the joint J.D./M.A. Law and Justice program

    -Criminal Justice Clinic-Third year of studies

    --Prosecuted criminal cases under supervision (including 1 jury trial)

    --Defended criminal defendants under supervision

   -Criminal Justice Clinic-Second year of studies

    --Criminal defense investigator

 

The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 1980-83

   Bachelor of Science with Honors-Administration of Justice 1983

    -Graduated from University Scholars Program for Advanced Undergraduate   

     Studies

    --Senior Thesis “The Weatherman Terrorist Organization”

-Internship with the New York City Police Department-summer 1982

 

Home    Contact Us    Privacy News    APC News    Services    Speeches