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Three Years in Identity Theft Hell

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Re: Three Years in Identity Theft Hell

#31

Post by matz1 »

noncoml wrote: post #27
matz1 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We are talking about leaving door unlocked, not leaving the door open. I lock the door every morning out of habit but I'm pretty sure its unlikely that something happen if I don't.

I don't know what you are trying to argue about, but somebody got hold of personal details, SSN and credit card details of 140 million people. The argument that it is ok, because anyway if somebody wanted it really hard they would find a way to get my personal details, is illogical.

Yes as the parent poster said, it may lead to the improvement of the system.

Re: Three Years in Identity Theft Hell

#33

Post by sillysaurus3 »

rxhernandez wrote: post #29
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #3

Counterintuitively, this is evidence that the Equifax breach isn't necessarily going to cause massive harm. If someone wanted to impersonate you, they could already. I remain hopeful that the full list of 140M SSNs will be posted in full. It's a rare opportunity: if that happens, the US will have no choice but to finally switch to a new system. One that doesn't rely on SSNs being private. That's the absurdity. It is…

This logic is so impressively bad I don't know where to begin. Okay how about this, I'm going to pretend I lack morals for a second. I would do this with the information: 1. Write a script to webscrape sites like LinkedIn to find out if a name/address/ssn key could be tied to people like doctors, engineers and whoever else might have sufficient disposable income. 2. I would take out loans in their name. If I have to…

And you'd end up in prison pretty quickly. The point is, it'd be worth the pain. We'd come out of it with a better system.

Re: Three Years in Identity Theft Hell

#34

Post by usaphp »

rxhernandez wrote: post #29
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #3

Counterintuitively, this is evidence that the Equifax breach isn't necessarily going to cause massive harm. If someone wanted to impersonate you, they could already. I remain hopeful that the full list of 140M SSNs will be posted in full. It's a rare opportunity: if that happens, the US will have no choice but to finally switch to a new system. One that doesn't rely on SSNs being private. That's the absurdity. It is…

This logic is so impressively bad I don't know where to begin. Okay how about this, I'm going to pretend I lack morals for a second. I would do this with the information: 1. Write a script to webscrape sites like LinkedIn to find out if a name/address/ssn key could be tied to people like doctors, engineers and whoever else might have sufficient disposable income. 2. I would take out loans in their name. If I have to…

The flaw in your logic lays with the bank. You will need a bank account/visit branch/transfer loaned money somewhere where you can cash them. Banks have cameras + Irs will quickly find you and won't allow you disappear or use that money

Re: Three Years in Identity Theft Hell

#36

Post by [deleted] »

usaphp wrote: post #34
rxhernandez wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This logic is so impressively bad I don't know where to begin. Okay how about this, I'm going to pretend I lack morals for a second. I would do this with the information: 1. Write a script to webscrape sites like LinkedIn to find out if a name/address/ssn key could be tied to people like doctors, engineers and whoever else might have sufficient disposable income. 2. I would take out loans in their name. If I have to…

The flaw in your logic lays with the bank. You will need a bank account/visit branch/transfer loaned money somewhere where you can cash them. Banks have cameras + Irs will quickly find you and won't allow you disappear or use that money

[deleted]

Re: Three Years in Identity Theft Hell

#37

Post by tmnvix »

Waterluvian wrote: post #24
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fixed, thanks. What do you feel are some sensible systems used by the rest of the world? One that's hopefully hard enough to break but easy enough not to cause massive hassles.

In Canada you can't do anything meaningful without a photo driver's license or a passport. My wife got a passport just to have a quality ID. Before that she couldn't even open a chequing account.

Ditto NZ and Aus. Also means that no national ID card or number is necessary. Seems kind of obvious to me. The use of SSN as proof of identity in the US just seems like misuse to me.

Re: Three Years in Identity Theft Hell

#38

Post by cyphar »

sillysaurus3 wrote: post #5
waqf wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the world The United States. I assure you that even though other countries have credit reporting, they do not use SSNs. > will have no choice but to finally switch to a new system. Really? I think they will just carry on unless and until the financial downside (losses from extending bad credit, or lawsuits from identity theft victims, or penalties from the federal government intervening directly) is shown to be rea…

Fixed, thanks. What do you feel are some sensible systems used by the rest of the world? One that's hopefully hard enough to break but easy enough not to cause massive hassles.

Usually multiple forms of ID. In Australia you have a "points" system (each form of ID is worth a certain number of points and they are additive) where you need 100 points to create a bank account. This translates to a drivers license and passport, or drivers license and existing debit card, etc.

In Estonia I believe the system is based on public key cryptography (every national ID has a private key that is used for signing things).

Re: Three Years in Identity Theft Hell

#39

Post by ev0l »

Waterluvian wrote: post #24
sillysaurus3 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fixed, thanks. What do you feel are some sensible systems used by the rest of the world? One that's hopefully hard enough to break but easy enough not to cause massive hassles.

In Canada you can't do anything meaningful without a photo driver's license or a passport. My wife got a passport just to have a quality ID. Before that she couldn't even open a chequing account.

That's not entirly true. The branch manager has discression. I know because when I first moved to Canada I had no such ID and opened an account after asking for the branch manager.

Re: Three Years in Identity Theft Hell

#40

Post by Waterluvian »

ev0l wrote: post #39
Waterluvian wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Canada you can't do anything meaningful without a photo driver's license or a passport. My wife got a passport just to have a quality ID. Before that she couldn't even open a chequing account.

That's not entirly true. The branch manager has discression. I know because when I first moved to Canada I had no such ID and opened an account after asking for the branch manager.

Thanks for sharing. I didn't know that. I always assumed it was policy. I've spent my whole life needing a driver's license or passport when I do anything money or government related.

I'm glad they can make discresionary decisions like that for special circumstances, such as someone who clearly can't have an ID or passport yet.

Mind if I ask, did they ask for your passport?

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