As of November 1, 2008 federal regulation will require all organizations in the US that offer consumer credit accounts to have implemented Red Flag programs to address consumer identity theft. The significance of this is that businesses will now be required to seriously address the identity theft problem in the interest of their customers, rather than just in their own business interests. Compliance is not a complex process, but it requires senior management's attention to ensure the organization gets the full benefit of both compliance and reduction of identity theft as a major inhibitor of consumer economic activity.