Unlucky/Lucky

[tw]

Originally Posted by wolf

We got an explanatory memo and a nice booklet entitled "How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft."

I thought I knew how to do that. Not leaving a pile of papers that includes my social security number and other sensitive information laying on a doorstep was pretty high on my personal list.

Did you use a tax service to file your taxes? They are now permitted to sell your information (SS#, address, income, etc) to *responsible* companies. IOW total disregard for your identify is widespread due to total disregard by us. We don't demand systems to protect our identity.

For example, the only reason you ever heard of credit card numbers being stolen and being sold was due to the only state in the United States with a significant identity protection law. If any company learns of identity theft, then they must notify the public. Identify theft had long been considered secret. Your numbers could be stolen and nobody had to notify you.

One additional law (and I have not confirmed this) permits any victim of identify theft to get free credit reports from all credit bureaus. Normally a stripped down report can be provided free once a year upon request. It does not include a credit score and some information. But it does even include medical records. However if a police report identifies you as a possible victim of identity theft, then all credit bureaus must provide you with everything - including credit score - for free.

Even if not a victim of identity theft, the free credit report (without hidden costs attached to www.freecreditreport.com) can be obtained from http://www.annualcreditreport.com .