well, don't underestimate the idiotic forms that many doctor's offices (in the US) want you to fill. Almost every time, I have seen forms that ask for everything about you. Personal information, Social Security Numbers, Employer information, heck even salary (not kidding). I just don't fill those of course but I am sure many people just fill them out because it is on the form.
Again: I see information out there that doesn't fall in these categories. And again: even for the information that does, that still wouldn't tell me which companies are the main ones aggregating them and selling them off to other aggregators. That's what I'm trying to find out.
Can you be more specific on what type of information you're talking about?
I've come across sites like these (SafeShepherd, though it doesn't claim to wipe your information from the "sources", only the sites they see your information on); the problem is I'm not sure I would trust them with something like my driver's license photo. Would you? Or what if they decide to sell your information behind your back later? Edit: Maybe it was a different site that needed your license (I thought it was…
I wouldn't trust them with a driver's license (why would they even need that?), but I'd trust them with name/address/phone/email information, because that's the information that seems far too readily available already.
I know they need it because a lot of the info-searching sites that they "opt" you "out" from require it. I feel like I read that some need SSN too but I'm not sure about that one.
Also note that SafeShepherd has this fine clause right at the end [1]:
"You agree that Safe Shepherd isn't liable for any failure to comply with these Terms."
What is this supposed to mean? Would you accept it?
If anyone reading this thread is interested: I would pay non-trivial amounts of money on a regular basis for a service that systematically worked to eliminate records like these (and the sources they draw from), as well as chasing down sources of junk mail and the lists they ultimately draw from. The value would depend on effectiveness, and on the degree to which the service clearly reported exactly what they did. Ca…
This service exists, I've used it, can vouch for it. https://www.abine.com/deleteme/landing.php
This Reddit comment suggests DeleteMe doesn't work so well.
Thank you for the reply. Can you actually give some kind of a list though? The entire problem here is everyone explains the how but no one is willing to explain the who . I certainly understand it's "multiple sources", I'm asking who are these sources I keep hearing about. There can't be nearly as many sources as there are sites who buy from them. If you'd like to not name the company you worked for yourself then cou…
There is no such public list. Most of these companies are privately held, their methods are trade secrets, and there is no real form of legal recourse. Your best bet would be to buy a book like this: https://www.amazon.com/Hiding-Internet-Eliminating-Personal-... and follow the recommendations, but even that is only likely to be half-effective. Much of the public information is mined from sources like credit headers,…
> There is no such public list. Most of these companies are privately held, their methods are trade secrets, and there is no real form of legal recourse.
How can there not be a public list of these data miners? When e.g. a court needs to control someone's information surely they know who these people are and they can let them know? Is there a secret list in every courthouse or something?
Or when someone wants to start another one of the higher-level companies -- how do they know which core aggregators to buy from? If that's a secret then how would they find out? Surely someone's gotta be willing to tell?
I have insider knowledge as I used to work for one of these companies. Depending on the product you purchase the data comes from multiple sources. Also these companies have sophisticated machine learning capabilities to build a profile based on various attributes found in seemingly unrelated pieces of data. So the list consists of credit reporting agencies, public records, your online profiles with public access, cou…
Thank you for the reply. Can you actually give some kind of a list though? The entire problem here is everyone explains the how but no one is willing to explain the who . I certainly understand it's "multiple sources", I'm asking who are these sources I keep hearing about. There can't be nearly as many sources as there are sites who buy from them. If you'd like to not name the company you worked for yourself then cou…
I can give you one very specific answer in that my late father decades ago worked in IT for a collections agency and one way that biz works is they pay a fixed amount to buy some companies 120+ day accounts receivable file (the feds and every state highly regulates this and its highly variable and complicated, but this is the simplified version...) and this gave them a vast pile of records and legal ability to collect the debt. Now obviously they got most of their revenue by annoying the heck out of debtors right up to the legal limit. But they're leaving money on the table if they don't resell all the data they can legally sell. So sure, even 20+ years ago collections agencies were uploading records to various data aggregators in exchange for a check. Not just the original debt but followup activity and intel WRT the collections process. I would imagine that's only increased over the last couple decades. Most of these data transfers were two way streets, not simple data for money trade, and obviously they maximized profits by leaning the hardest on the people most likely to actually pay up, they did not waste time on debtors known to other collections agencies as hopeless deadbeats.
Last year I was getting constant calls and snail mail about buying an extended car warranty on a car that I no longer own. I asked the place where I bought my car if they sell that information and they claimed not to.
So where do these sleazy companies get that data? The DMV?
This year, I'm getting two or three calls every week about a buying a home security system and monitoring.
I don't understand why these calls aren't easier to block. Somebody knows here they are originating from. Why can't I get that information too?
Again: I see information out there that doesn't fall in these categories. And again: even for the information that does, that still wouldn't tell me which companies are the main ones aggregating them and selling them off to other aggregators. That's what I'm trying to find out.
Can you be more specific on what type of information you're talking about?
Political Party? Views & Opinions? Relatives? Education history even if it's outside the country? Check out all the categories, here's [1] a random example. And yes, I know all of this information exists out there somewhere (resumes, mailing lists, social sites, whatever); my question is who is the first layer aggregating them from these sources.
Have you ever gone to the doctor, signed up for a gym, or signed up for your local grocery store's membership rewards program? That's how they get your information.
Have you ever gone to the doctor...
At least in the US, "going to the doctor" is encumbered by several laws oriented toward the protection of a person's information conveyed in the course of a visit.
What is the mechanism by which these laws are sidestepped in providing patient information to third-parties?
signed up for your local grocery store's membership rewards program?
Does e.g. Catalina give their information to Red Plum directly? Is it sold? How much?
"when a court needs to order that someone's information be purged (for whatever reason, e.g. for safety)"
I believe that is the location of your confusion, that is a Hollywood fiction, mostly. If a collections agency is bugging you there is a way to resolve it via the legal system, but its very much case by case and company by company business. A judge can order one company who's officer or agent is present in the courtroom to do something to one record. A judge can purge his own legal system's record of an arrest if he wants to. Belief in this in general is analogous to non-computer people believing in the CSI tv show or hollywood hacking