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I Got Access to My Secret Consumer Score

nytimes.com

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Re: I Got Access to My Secret Consumer Score

#231

Post by therealx »

jlokier wrote: post #79
ChaosDegenerate wrote: post #28

Will these systems be prone to false data? I.e. if an organization fighting for free speech would create software generating false personas who create false messages, and other events, would they know any better? For example, it wouldn't be too hard to generate hundreds if not thousands of fake Facebook, Instragram, Airbnb, Coinbase, Uber, Gmail, Amazon, etc. accounts doing "stupid things". Like ordering stuff and ca…

Credit reference agencies are already prone to false data, and that's without anyone trying to game them. When I checked this year, 2 out of the 3 major CRAs in my country (Equifax, Experian) had: - An incorrect flag saying I was not registered to vote, and a note saying this significantly affected my credit rating. - A bogus address that didn't correspond to any physical location. Nor did it correspond with any addr…

So common. Ive had all of these happen, too. I didn't know not being registered to vote could hurt you, was that in the US? I assume not due to BT being mentioned.

AT&T is currently doing the same thing BT did to you. I closed my account and shipped back hardware a year ago. Since then, they have been reporting either a bill with a random number from $100-3,000 or 0, and being either on time or late or none. It's maddening.

Re: I Got Access to My Secret Consumer Score

#232

Post by buildbuildbuild »

lisper wrote: post #158

I just tried requesting my information from one of the links provided in the article. As part of the process I had to upload an image of my government-issued ID. After that, I was told to expect an email confirmation link that I would have to click on before they could proceed. That was an hour ago and the email has not yet arrived. I don't really have any reason to suspect that this is a scam, but I can't help but n…

Identity thieves are masters of faking ID scans, their livelihood requires it. I have no doubt that an experienced person could get these reports on my behalf without me ever knowing.

It’s appalling to me how much we depend on easily photoshopped pictures to prove identity. I want a smart card photo ID in my country.

Re: I Got Access to My Secret Consumer Score

#233

Post by jedberg »

aedocw wrote: post #171
hirundo wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it has value, both to the advertiser and to the target, compared to un-targeted advertising. Advertising is an attempt to transfer information. Targeted ads means that the information is more likely to be relevant, whatever its other downsides. Let's not throw out that baby with the bath water.

"Advertising is an attempt to transfer information" is deeply misguided unless you adjust that to say "transfer very biased information". Advertising is an attempt to influence one party to give their money to another party, generally through manipulation and guile. Targeted advertising is like the difference between spam and spear phising. The person being advertised to rarely (if ever) benefits.

> The person being advertised to rarely (if ever) benefits.

Instagram has gotten so good at targeting me that I probably click on at least 1/2 the ads because I find them interesting. I've purchased things because of those clicks too, and have enjoyed the purchases. Things I would have never known about were it not for the ads.

Re: I Got Access to My Secret Consumer Score

#234

Post by ThrustVectoring »

rhegart wrote: post #134

Dating apps too? Wtf, imagine if they knew your preferences were same sex and you flew to Dubai or China and you’ve criticized them, they could sell that data and get you arrested or honeypot you. Great way to get dissidents overseas with other compromising information

This is incredibly high-value data to have on politicians and other high-profile people, too. Say, suppose you had a congressperson's dating app information in this report, and the usage overlaps with the period of time they've been married and in office. Great way to compromise them.

Re: I Got Access to My Secret Consumer Score

#235

Post by acje »

hirundo wrote: post #159
amelius wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I suspect we as a society need new legislation to deal with these sort of issues. Why not ban targeted advertising altogether?

Because it has value, both to the advertiser and to the target, compared to un-targeted advertising. Advertising is an attempt to transfer information. Targeted ads means that the information is more likely to be relevant, whatever its other downsides. Let's not throw out that baby with the bath water.

Most things has value by some definition. Question is if the sum is positive. I'm not sure that is the case for targeted advertising.

Re: I Got Access to My Secret Consumer Score

#236

Post by lisper »

nitwit005 wrote: post #222
lisper wrote: post #158

I just tried requesting my information from one of the links provided in the article. As part of the process I had to upload an image of my government-issued ID. After that, I was told to expect an email confirmation link that I would have to click on before they could proceed. That was an hour ago and the email has not yet arrived. I don't really have any reason to suspect that this is a scam, but I can't help but n…

They have to verify your identity somehow, or anyone could get at the data. Ideally you'd verify your identity to your government and they'd provide a limited time verification ID you could use for this sort of thing.

> They have to verify your identity somehow, or anyone could get at the data.

Yes, but the mere fact that I possess a photocopy of my drivers license does not prove that I'm me. That is manifestly true because they now possess a photocopy of my drivers license and they are not me.

Re: I Got Access to My Secret Consumer Score

#237

Post by nosuchuser2 »

SamBam wrote: post #146
astura wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you want life insurance then you are required to give permission to view this data about you. If you don't want to give permission, then you don't get life insurance. https://www.rxhistories.com/irix/medical-data/ >How It Works >1 Applicants sign a HIPAA-compliant authorization, enabling insurers to retrieve their medical information >2 Insurers electronically query Milliman IntelliScript in real-time >3 Milliman…

But I never gave Milliman permission to hold this data, so didn't they already violate HIPAA?

I think you misunderstand HIPAA. As long as they have a business associate agreement with the pharmacies and serve some vaguely care-adjacent purpose, the pharmacy can share your data with them without your knowledge or consent.

Re: I Got Access to My Secret Consumer Score

#238

Post by jeffdavis »

brianpgordon wrote: post #145

> When I told Mr. Tan that I was alarmed to see my Airbnb messages and Yelp orders in the hands of a company I’d never heard of before, he responded by saying that Sift doesn’t sell or share any of the data it has with third parties. What a line to say with a straight face. They are the third party that he's uncomfortable sharing his data with!

I have all of your personal data. But it's OK; I don't share it with anyone outside the Milky Way Galaxy.

At least, it will take a while for our radio transmissions to reach that far. By the time it does reach another galaxy it will be a part of history.

Re: I Got Access to My Secret Consumer Score

#239

Post by blhack »

btc-100k wrote: post #229
blhack wrote: post #88

The fact that coinbase is sharing this information with some third party is absolutely infuriating. I almost don't believe that.

Looks like Coinbase is buying the data (Sift Score) to help them make better decisions on account takeover vs. not account takeover, credit card fraud vs. not credit card fraud, ACH fraud vs. not ACH fraud. In this context it makes perfect sense. Unless they force 2FA for every login, how else are the going to protect good users from account takeover. Same goes for buying crypto, they need a tool to help determine if…

The article author claims that part of the information they got from sift was information about one of their own logins. So it would appear that coinbase is sharing information.

The reason I'm so flabbergasted by this is that this seems to really, really damage account security. Now there is one company that has a massive profile on me, that also knows very specific details about when I log into my account, from where, from what devices, etc.

Completely unjustifiable imo.

Re: I Got Access to My Secret Consumer Score

#240

Post by JackRabbitSlim »

cortesoft wrote: post #203
yowlingcat wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. The whole idea of "identity theft" stinks of PR lubrication. Your identity cannot be stolen, but "identity theft" is a clever, cynical sleight of hand that obscures what really happened: credit fraud, specifically fraud that is the responsibility of the party issuing credit and the criminal propagating it.

I agree with this idea in principle, but I am unsure of how it would work in practice. Say you open a credit card, then try to say it wasn't you..... what would a bank need to do to prove it was you? The things they would provide are already the things they have... your signature, your information, etc. What EXTRA bit would they start collecting that would prevent fraud? Currently, banks ARE on the hook for fraud....…

The issuer and arbitrator are, if not the same entity outright, are so far in bed together they should be common-law spouses. Let me explain one of 2 possible outcomes based on socioeconomic factors.

A) you have money to keep a lawyer on it; No problem.

B) you don't have money for a lawyer; Tough shit.

Nothing beyond real unilateral enforcement of the system already in place is required.

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