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OECD Developing Global Strategies for Combating Identity Theft Presentation Peter Avery OECD Principal Administrator for Consumer Policy Discussants Michael Jenkin Director General, Office of Consumer Affairs, Industry Canada & Chairman, OECD Committee on Consumer Policy Betsy Broder Assistant Director, Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, Federal Trade Commission

Event Description:

Identity theft occurs when a party acquires someone’s personal information and then uses that information in an unauthorized way to cause the victim harm. It affects tens of millions of persons per year globally, costing victims billions of dollars.  The problem is being addressed nationally by business and governments, and by international organizations such as the OECD.  The presentation will provide information on developments and trends, focusing in particular on the growing use of the Internet to conduct ID crime.  Efforts to combat the theft will be described, as will policy guidance that was recently approved by the OECD’s Committee on Consumer Policy. The discussants will provide further insights on how issues are affecting consumers in Canada and the United States.

Biographies:

Peter Avery is Principal Administrator in the OECD’s Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry, where he heads the consumer policy unit. The unit is responsible for carrying out research on a wide range of consumer issues, and for overseeing the negotiation of consumer policy guidelines in areas such as ecommerce, cross-border fraud and dispute resolution. Current work includes the development of a policy toolkit which will provide policymakers with a framework to improve decision-making in the areas of consumer protection and consumer empowerment. Work is also being carried out on mobile commerce, online identity theft and consumer issues relating to communication services. Prior to joining the Organisation, he managed a team of trade analysts at the US International Trade Commission, and was Assistant Director of Economics at the American Iron and Steel Institute. Mr. Avery, an American, holds a Masters Degree in International Relations from Georgetown University.

Michael Jenkin assumed the duties of Director General, Office of Consumer Affairs, on January 1999. He is also currently the Chair of the OECD Committee on Consumer Policy.  Dr. Jenkin  has held a number of senior positions in the industry department including:  Director General of Strategic Planning and Corporate Development in the Operations Sector; Director General, Strategic Policy and Consultations; and Director of Economic Development Policy in the Industry and Science Policy Sector.  He has worked for a number of other federal departments and agencies including the Ministry of State for Economic and Regional Development and the Federal‑Provincial Relations Office and has served as a Science Adviser with the Science Council of Canada. Dr. Jenkin obtained his Bachelor’s degree (Honours) from Trent University in 1972.  He also pursued graduate studies at the University of Manchester (UK) on a Commonwealth fellowship where he received an MA (Economics), and PhD in government.  He has written a number of articles and books on federal-provincial relations and on industrial policy. 

Betsy Broder is an Assistant Director in the Federal Trade Commission’s Division of Privacy and Identity Protection.  In this capacity she helps coordinate the agency’s law enforcement, research, and outreach efforts on privacy issues including identity theft, consumer authentication, pretexting, and security.  She also oversees the FTC’s other identity theft initiatives such as coordination with criminal law enforcement agencies and consumer education. Betsy coordinated the Commission’s participation in the President’s Identity Theft Task force as well as the development and implementation of its Strategic Plan.  She has testified before Congress and has been interviewed in television, newspapers and radio reports focusing on identity theft and other consumer issues. Betsy also served as an Assistant Director in the Division of Marketing Practices where she supervised consumer fraud litigation in federal court.  During her tenure at the FTC, Betsy has led the investigation and civil prosecution of telemarketing boiler-rooms, Internet pyramid schemes and business and franchise scams in courts throughout the United States.  She has also served as an Assistant to the FTC’s Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection.