Last week, we read numerous stories about the theft of data about veterans from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs. The most recent news reported even more identities at risk, including active service members, bringing the total to 28.7 million veterans who are at risk of having identities and financial resources compromised.

This column will discuss identity theft and your computer hard drive. This is another scary story that demands attention by consumers to protect vital and personal information from others.

It seems that Hank Gerbus of Cincinnati, a 77-year-old retiree, was having problems with his computer hard drive in June 2005 and returned it to the big box electronics store where he had purchased it, as it was still under warranty. The store gladly agreed to replace the hard drive. Mr. Gerbus asked for the original hard drive to be returned to him two or three times during this transaction. Staff members at the store refused, stating that since the machine was under warranty, they needed the old drive for them to receive credit from the hard-drive manufacturer.

They assured him the hard drive would be destroyed by drilling holes in it and his personal information would thus be protected. Six months after this event, Hank received an unsettling phone call from “Ed.” “Mr. Gerbus, I just bought your hard drive at a flea market in Chicago for $25.” Ed and Mr. Gerbus agreed to the return of the sensitive hard drive, but Mr. Gerbus was very concerned about who else may have seen this data. What did the hard drive contain for information? How about Social Security numbers, addresses, digital photographs, correspondence to family members, telephone numbers, (this was how Ed was able to contact Hank, who was wintering in Florida), and other sensitive data. The electronics chain agreed to give Mr. Gerbus store gift certificates in the amount of $250 for his troubles, but have so far refused to pay for identity theft insurance that Mr. Gerbus has requested.

How prevalent is the problem of material being left on old hard drives? In 2002 and 2003 Simson Garfinkel, an MIT researcher, inspected 129 used hard drives obtained from various sources. Only 12 drives had been completely cleared of all data and many had volumes of sensitive data, one even had 3,722 credit card numbers on it. One had been used with a bank ATM and had very sensitive bank data on it. Some advanced retrieval techniques were used on hard drives that had been ostensibly “erased” or “degaussed” with strong magnets. Shockingly, sensitive data was retrieved from these hard drives.

It is said that drilling holes in the hard drive – particularly the platter – is effective. Here at Northeast CONTACT, we would love to hear from practical Maine computer techies regarding effective and simple methods for rendering old hard drives absolutely devoid of data. Supererase software? The wood cook stove in the kitchen might have a new application that our grandparents never could have imagined. Soaking hard drives in bleach, water or acid, before placing them in the trash for incineration at the PERC plant? Are the electric drill and the hammer possibilities?

It is reported that the Department of Defense uses a belt sander to remove data. There are paper shredders out there rugged enough to accept credit cards and staples, how about hard drives ?

Identity theft becomes a more serious threat to the privacy and security of Americans every day. Consumers and businesses need to fight back to prevent this from happening. Northeast CONTACT welcomes your suggestions.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast Contact for Better Business Inc., Maine’s membership-funded, nonprofit organization and America’s oldest consumer advocacy agency of its kind, established in 1972. For help, write to Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1339, or email consumerhelp@bangordailynews.net.