The following was in the NEHGS newsletter this week. Please note, the identity theft was from CREDIT CARDS used to purchase items and NOT from any genealogical data. Bette Possible Identity Theft Affects Heritage Creations Customers Lee N. Meitzler, son of Heritage Creations owner Leland K. Meitzler, was arrested on Monday for alleged forgery activity. Heritage Creations is the Salt Lake City publisher of Heritage Quest Magazine and other genealogy products. Lee N. Meitzler was arrested after a Davis County (Utah), sheriff's deputy made a routine traffic stop of a car carrying two male occupants who were found to have warrants out for their arrest. Upon searching the car, the deputies found various drivers' licenses, Social Security numbers, passports, birth certificates, and a mobile methamphetamines lab. Upon further questioning, the two men led deputies to Lee N. Meitzler's RV trailer. According to Leland K. Meitzler, once there the deputies discovered drugs, files containing financial information, and receipts for some eBay sales completed last year by Heritage Creations, most of the latter having credit card numbers. Police also found much material about financial information apparently obtained from other companies. Because credit card information is involved, the FBI arrived on the scene shortly after the arrests were made. All three men are now in jail. One of Meitzler's associates was wanted as a fugitive on other drug-related arrests and is being held without bail. The FBI, the Davis County Sheriff's Office, the credit card companies, and Leland K. Meitzler have reviewed all credit card charges made recently. Meitzler, in a blog entry posted January 5 on the Heritage Creation website, wrote, "At this point, we have no reason to believe that anyone's credit card information was used fraudulently. It looked to me like there may have been a plan being put in place to try to do so, but it doesn't look to me like it happened yet." The full text of Leland Meitzler's blog entries may be found at http://genealogyblog.com/. Several people who have known the Meitzlers for years expressed shock at the possible security breach. NEHGS assistant executive director for technology Dick Eastman wrote on his blog that he had known Leland K. Meitzler for more than a decade. He also wrote, "I just spent a few minutes talking on the phone with Leland. ... I hung up the phone with a good feeling that this guy is going to take care of each and every one of his customers properly." Joe Garonzik of Genealogical Publishing Company said, "You can quote me as saying that I have known Leland for over twenty years. He's one of the nicest guys in the field, and his word is his bond." The Davis County (Utah) Sheriff's Department urges anyone who recently purchased items from Heritage Creations to call the Sheriff's Office at 801-451-4100, and to check their credit card statements carefully for unauthorized charges. ____________________________________________ Check out the Bunker Family Association. http://www.bunkerfamilyassn.org. If your name is Bunker and you are a male, consider joining our surname DNA project.