Identity theft has been in the news lately, what with several companies giving peoples' credit card and social security numbers out by the thousands. (Security expert Bruce Schneier says these guys are taping a "please regulate my industry" sign to their backs).

Outsourcing has also been in the news. Including call-center outsourcing. Including outsourcing of credit card call centers.

Which allows for great economies of scale in these sorts of enterprises. Since prevailing wage rates are lower, a dollar can bribe a great deal more Indian workers than it can Americans. And lo, the era of outsourced identity theft has arrived!

But, fear not for the country. It's not a national security issue. Because a foreign intelligence service (like, say, India's own) would never find records of strategic interest (like, say, our government officials' records) through channels like this. They're a former British colony. It wouldn't be cricket.