Strike three for computer records

Dave Siciliano

Dave Siciliano

Final Approach
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Feb 27, 2005
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Dallas, Texas
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Dave Siciliano
Not long ago, I received several urgent e-mails from the University of Texas informing me their student records had been breached and to put an alert on my credit files. (Last I attended there was in 1991, but my records were included.)

Few weeks ago, y'all probably saw the veteran records were compromised: guess who's records were in there.

Now, the student loan records have been accessed in some manner, and, once again, my records from grad school where in there.

So, where does this end? Why are records like these kept where someone can walk off with them all on one lap top computer? As far as student loan records from this long ago, why are they even kept? This loan was paid off in 1991 or 1992 I believe.

Anyway, it's a new age as far as personal identity theft.

Best,

Dave
 
It's still the wild west. There is little enforcement or penalties for the thieves and there is little enforcement and penalities for the companies that have the records and are lax about security.

We can already see what a joke it is how employees handle your records. There is mostly carelessness, but there is some outright criminal activity. What do you suppose happens when you repeatedly give a barely employable random minimun wage clerk access to valuable information?

Illinois just passed a law saying you can lock your credit records...if you notify and PAY each of the three credit reporting agencies.

Just like how the Direct Marketing Assocation made sure the law said they CAN SPAM, the banks will gut any law saying they are responsible.
 
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It's only ones and zeros. It's not like it's money.
Why do you suppose WE have to pay a third party to secure OUR information. One would think they would be happy to oblige.
Why do WE have to buy insurance to secure ourselves against identity theft?
Some local, county, and federal agencies found when they computerized records AND made them available free/public access, that they left social security numbers in them. One of them was a local PARKS DEPT for beach permits!
Innocent, inadvertent, but still as exposed as Lady Godiva at high noon!

http://www.citibank.com/us/cards/cardserv/advice/commercial.htm
 
silver-eagle said:
It's only ones and zeros. It's not like it's money.
Why do you suppose WE have to pay a third party to secure OUR information. One would think they would be happy to oblige.
Why do WE have to buy insurance to secure ourselves against identity theft?
Some local, county, and federal agencies found when they computerized records AND made them available free/public access, that they left social security numbers in them. One of them was a local PARKS DEPT for beach permits!
Innocent, inadvertent, but still as exposed as Lady Godiva at high noon!

http://www.citibank.com/us/cards/cardserv/advice/commercial.htm
Click to expand...


It starts at the Point of Sale. Most of the time, people don't even look at my card to confirm it's me - I've actually sent my stepson to the grocery store with my credit card because I was working...and he signed for the purchases with his own name....we don't share a surname...

Did you see this site...a fun experiment with the problem. No identity theft required...

http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit/
 
SJP said:
It starts at the Point of Sale. Most of the time, people don't even look at my card to confirm it's me - I've actually sent my stepson to the grocery store with my credit card because I was working...and he signed for the purchases with his own name....we don't share a surname...

Did you see this site...a fun experiment with the problem. No identity theft required...

http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit/
Click to expand...

On the back of my card I wrote in big capital letters "SEE ID"

At Best Buy the counter ape asked me "what does SEE ID mean?" I told him it means that you should ask to see identification from me to verify I am the rightful user of that card, to which he grunted and handed that card back to. Never asking for me to procduce and identification.
 
Dave,

Add Hotels.com to the list. A laptop containing several hundred thousand account records was stolen from Ernst and Young (audit firm).

Greg
182RG
 
smigaldi said:
On the back of my card I wrote in big capital letters "SEE ID"

At Best Buy the counter ape asked me "what does SEE ID mean?" I told him it means that you should ask to see identification from me to verify I am the rightful user of that card, to which he grunted and handed that card back to. Never asking for me to procduce and identification.
Click to expand...
I actually wrote "See Photo ID" to make it easy for the simple minded folks to understand . . . . It still doesn't work. They look at it and hand it back to me along with the receipt for me to sign. I actually thought about signing the receipt as "See Photo ID" to see if they would get it then, I doubt it :no:
 
waldo said:
I actually wrote "See Photo ID" to make it easy for the simple minded folks to understand . . . . It still doesn't work. They look at it and hand it back to me along with the receipt for me to sign. I actually thought about signing the receipt as "See Photo ID" to see if they would get it then, I doubt it :no:
Click to expand...

You have to go the the web site that Steve posted above. The guy there signed all manner of names and pictures, etc. No one until the very end stopped him and he never once got a call from the credit card companies.
 
smigaldi said:
You have to go the the web site that Steve posted above. The guy there signed all manner of names and pictures, etc. No one until the very end stopped him and he never once got a call from the credit card companies.
Click to expand...
Back in the 1970's (gosh! I'm old...) I worked for Manufacturers Hanover Trust, a big NYC Bank. One of the competitors began to issue cards with photos on them as a security measure. To determine how effective they are, MannyHanny made up several cards with photos of Adolf Hitler and George Washington on them. You know that unfinished portrait of George that makes him look like he is sitting in a gas chamber? That one.

The result is that there was no problem passing the cards to merchants throughout NYC. So the bank scrapped the idea as not worth the expense.

-Skip
 
Skip Miller said:
Back in the 1970's (gosh! I'm old...) I worked for Manufacturers Hanover Trust, a big NYC Bank. One of the competitors began to issue cards with photos on them as a security measure. To determine how effective they are, MannyHanny made up several cards with photos of Adolf Hitler and George Washington on them. You know that unfinished portrait of George that makes him look like he is sitting in a gas chamber? That one.

The result is that there was no problem passing the cards to merchants throughout NYC. So the bank scrapped the idea as not worth the expense.

-Skip
Click to expand...

Then Citibank implemented it and still no one paid any attention to the photos. I wonder if anyone still puts photos on cards?
 
smigaldi said:
On the back of my card I wrote in big capital letters "SEE ID"

At Best Buy the counter ape asked me "what does SEE ID mean?" I told him it means that you should ask to see identification from me to verify I am the rightful user of that card, to which he grunted and handed that card back to. Never asking for me to procduce and identification.
Click to expand...

I always put "SEE PICTURE ID" in the signature window of my cards. At one chain drugstore the clerk insisted that I sign the receipt that way. A few want to compare my signature on the sales slip with the one on the driver's license I produce for the picture. Seems to me comparing the picture with my face would be more productive.
 
Haaaa!! You guys are toooooo fun!

No wonder Dumb and Dumber sold so many tickets; we deal with their progeny daily!!

My worst experience was checking out of a Kroger; you know the little spacer thingy one puts between your order and the one in front of you?
A new girl on the register picked in up and SCANNED IT! Honest :goofy:

My mind was racing with retorts, but I just couldn't be a smart arse--she was just too nice. She looked at me and said something like--I can't find the code on here. I just told her I had changed my mind and didn't want that any more. Didn't look back. Just left.

Geesh!

Dave
 
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