If you haven't already, check out my first article on how to Run a Background Check on Yourself. Go ahead I'll wait...
If you have ever wondered what information is available about you on the web and in public records I have found the perfect article for you Top 24 People Search Sites and Email Address Directories. While my previous article shows you how to get all the medical, credit, and insurance information available on you, the People Search Sites listed will show you what you have left behind online. Hopefully by now people are starting to wise up about where and how much information they put out into cyberspace, but it has been slow going. For example just consider how many people have been fired or denied employment for the things they post on their blog or Myspace account. While you may have control of deleting items you post to your accounts there is little or no control of what other people do with the information before you have deleted it, not to mention your information is likely to still be archived by thousands of search engines long after you have taken the information down. Your best safeguard is to think about everything you post before you post it, and remember that everything that you do post is permanent.
The next best thing if you really must post something that you are afraid will come back to haunt you is to post it under a pseudonym and do not link anything in your sensitive posts back to your true identity. This includes monetizing features like google adsense or adbrite. These may be linked back to you. Even creating a separate adsense or adbrite account may not help you if these accounts are linked back to your bank and tax ID.
Showing posts with label social security number. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social security number. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Chips Embeded in Official IDs Are a Huge Privacy Risk
For anyone who doesn't know, which is most of us, an RFID Chip is a tiny chip that can be embedded in virtually anything, from products in the grocery store to your bus pass and even people. You've probably seen the credit card commercial with the marathon runner that zips into a convenience store and pays for his purchase by merely holding his credit card close to the machine instead of sliding it through the machine the old fashioned way. Really convenient right? Well it's convenient for identity thieves too.
When this technology first came and out it wasn't wide spread an identity thief needed to get pretty close to the target to scan the chip and retrieve the information on it. This is no longer the case. As the technology has grown more prolific so have the profits in creating the gadgets that scan for it. As an example consider the experiment published in an article on the Fox News Website "Chips in Official IDs Raise Privacy Fears" in which a gentleman named Chris Paget cruised around Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, California scanning for the private information held on RFID tags of the crowds using a Matrics antenna and a Motorola reader that he bought on eBay for less than $250. In an hour he had 'skimmed' the private data from the new electronic U.S. passport cards of several individuals from as far away as 20 feet. Mr. Paget filmed his experiment and posted it to the Internet.
While the implementation of embedded RFID tags in government documents is not widespread yet there is a push from government officials to see it done quickly. Officials are touting safety and convenience of having you information easily accessible. Either they haven't bothered to think of the consequences or they just don't care because being able to track everything that you do fits there agenda. Thanks to the Real ID Act: h.r.00418 which was passed in 2005 without ANY debate, states must start issuing State IDs with and embedded RFID tag by 2017. The Real ID Act was pushed through by adding an amendment to a completely UNRELATED must pass bill to authorize funds for the Iraq war. This seems to be a common tactic in getting a controversial bill to pass that otherwise would not. In my humble opinion this practice is completely immoral and should be illegal, but I suppose that is the subject of another rant.
The Pass ID Act: S.1261 has recently been introduced before lawmakers which supposedly would repeal part of the Real ID Act as well as amend title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. However this bill does not protect citizens from identity theft or government abuses, in fact it may be a sneak attack to reinforce the Real ID Act. The Real ID Act needs to be repealed completely or by 2017 we will all be walking around with a tracking beacon in our pockets broadcasting our entire lives to anyone with the inclination to snoop, which includes alot of people and organizations. Just think of how much of your online activity is tracked by the government, retail websites, search engines, and marketing firms. Imagine how valuable a record of your real world travels, purchases, interests, and even health problems would be. To top off all this paranoia, it appears that two of the major backers of The Pass ID Act and previously the Real ID Act, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and the International Civil Aviation Organization, are INTERNATIONAL as in not USA organizations!
...and now for another paranoia inducing video
There may be other 'related' videos in the player above that may seem extremely paranoid. These videos are included by YouTube and do not necessarily reflect the views of this writer.
Eventually we will have one card (or pendant, wristband, or implant) that will contain all of our information and may even be used as currency. There are already pilot programs that allow users of already existing Real ID Cards to use them in lieu of their credit card. Now at the risk of sounding like a paranoid, end of the world, religious nut...
Aside from the above legislation we will never be completely free of RFID tags. RFID tags have many legitimate uses from inventory control to identifying lost pets. As mentioned above 'smart' passports and Real IDs are already in use. You will still need to take action to protect yourself from the common thief regardless of how you feel about the Real ID Act. There are several relatively inexpensive products
on the market now that will shield your card/passport from being scanned such as the RFID Blocking Leather Passport Case and the Travelon RFID Blocking Billfold
. Shoplifters have been blocking RFID for some time by using shopping bags lined with aluminum foil (don't get any ideas!). Here is an interesting artilcle on How to kill your RFID chip, of course when it comes to your passport you may not want to permanently destroy the chip rendering your passport void. Remember; tampering with a US passport is a federal offense. Of course any of the tags you find in items that you purchase are yours to do with as you wish.
For a partial list of companies that place RFID tags in their products check out Liz Michaels' website.
When this technology first came and out it wasn't wide spread an identity thief needed to get pretty close to the target to scan the chip and retrieve the information on it. This is no longer the case. As the technology has grown more prolific so have the profits in creating the gadgets that scan for it. As an example consider the experiment published in an article on the Fox News Website "Chips in Official IDs Raise Privacy Fears" in which a gentleman named Chris Paget cruised around Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, California scanning for the private information held on RFID tags of the crowds using a Matrics antenna and a Motorola reader that he bought on eBay for less than $250. In an hour he had 'skimmed' the private data from the new electronic U.S. passport cards of several individuals from as far away as 20 feet. Mr. Paget filmed his experiment and posted it to the Internet.
While the implementation of embedded RFID tags in government documents is not widespread yet there is a push from government officials to see it done quickly. Officials are touting safety and convenience of having you information easily accessible. Either they haven't bothered to think of the consequences or they just don't care because being able to track everything that you do fits there agenda. Thanks to the Real ID Act: h.r.00418 which was passed in 2005 without ANY debate, states must start issuing State IDs with and embedded RFID tag by 2017. The Real ID Act was pushed through by adding an amendment to a completely UNRELATED must pass bill to authorize funds for the Iraq war. This seems to be a common tactic in getting a controversial bill to pass that otherwise would not. In my humble opinion this practice is completely immoral and should be illegal, but I suppose that is the subject of another rant.
The Pass ID Act: S.1261 has recently been introduced before lawmakers which supposedly would repeal part of the Real ID Act as well as amend title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. However this bill does not protect citizens from identity theft or government abuses, in fact it may be a sneak attack to reinforce the Real ID Act. The Real ID Act needs to be repealed completely or by 2017 we will all be walking around with a tracking beacon in our pockets broadcasting our entire lives to anyone with the inclination to snoop, which includes alot of people and organizations. Just think of how much of your online activity is tracked by the government, retail websites, search engines, and marketing firms. Imagine how valuable a record of your real world travels, purchases, interests, and even health problems would be. To top off all this paranoia, it appears that two of the major backers of The Pass ID Act and previously the Real ID Act, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and the International Civil Aviation Organization, are INTERNATIONAL as in not USA organizations!
...and now for another paranoia inducing video
There may be other 'related' videos in the player above that may seem extremely paranoid. These videos are included by YouTube and do not necessarily reflect the views of this writer.
Eventually we will have one card (or pendant, wristband, or implant) that will contain all of our information and may even be used as currency. There are already pilot programs that allow users of already existing Real ID Cards to use them in lieu of their credit card. Now at the risk of sounding like a paranoid, end of the world, religious nut...
- Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
- Revelation 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Aside from the above legislation we will never be completely free of RFID tags. RFID tags have many legitimate uses from inventory control to identifying lost pets. As mentioned above 'smart' passports and Real IDs are already in use. You will still need to take action to protect yourself from the common thief regardless of how you feel about the Real ID Act. There are several relatively inexpensive products
on the market now that will shield your card/passport from being scanned such as the RFID Blocking Leather Passport Case and the Travelon RFID Blocking Billfold. Shoplifters have been blocking RFID for some time by using shopping bags lined with aluminum foil (don't get any ideas!). Here is an interesting artilcle on How to kill your RFID chip, of course when it comes to your passport you may not want to permanently destroy the chip rendering your passport void. Remember; tampering with a US passport is a federal offense. Of course any of the tags you find in items that you purchase are yours to do with as you wish.For a partial list of companies that place RFID tags in their products check out Liz Michaels' website.
Friday, February 2, 2007
social security number risk
Maybe it's just me but I would think with all the media coverage about the risk to peoples' personal information and identity theft, and the laws requiring due diligence in protecting your clients information that agencies and businesses would start taking greater care.
Here's an example; I saw a news report a few years ago about doctors and hospitals carelessly throwing old medical records in the trash, and not long after shredding of outdated or sensitive documents became much less a good idea and more a necessity!
Now here is my specific gripe. Have you ever noticed those handy little baskets full of mail at the receptionist's desk at the doctor's office, or your lawyer's? I mean come on!!! You would think the medical profession would have learned their lesson by now, and if you can't trust your ATTORNEY, of all people, with your information the world is in sad shape. After I noticed this trend I really started paying close attention. This practice is very commonplace, at least in the area where I live. Even better, not only is the mail, full of your personal and possibly damaging information, sitting on the front counter in easy reach of anyone off the street, but (no exaggeration) 90% of the time the was no one any where near the desk to even keep an eye on it!
At my local physician's office that nifty little mail basket sits on a counter full of fliers for patients to take home. Just the other day I sat and watched a seedy looking fellow browse through the pamphlets for a good 15 minutes. And NO ONE NOTICED! Why would they? He was just browsing through the material that the office, in all their wisdom, left for him to look at. The fact that he could have just as easily picked up the 3 inch stack of outgoing mail and walked off with it to examine at his leisure must have never crossed anyone's mind!
Tell me, am I just being paranoid? Or does somebody need a little training, and maybe an ass kicking!
One more gripe, this one just happened today! Okay it actually starts yesterday. I was at the county/state run employment agency and signing up for an orientation class. The guy handed me a sheet of paper and asked me to write my name and social. Above my name was at least five other names and socials. I mean this guy had filled my information in on at least 5 other forms on his PC, I guess he couldn't operate a pen. Or maybe he was just being nice and trying to give me a little extra help stealing someone else's identity. No harm done though, I guess he's such a good judge of character that he could just tell what an honest guy I am. My poor wife had to listen to me rant about this for 30 minutes.
Icing on the Cake
Today I went in for the aforementioned orientation meeting. This time another guy had that familiar little piece of paper so he could call role. No big deal I am sure he was authorized to have everyone social security numbers for other aspects of his job. However, the first part of the meeting was going to be a 15 min video that he'd already sat through hundreds of times so understandably he left the room while we watched it. The only problem was that he decided to leave that inconspicuous paper lying on a table right in front of one of the other meeting attendees. I mean it was like he sat it down FOR him to look at. Would it have killed him to take it out of the room with him, or at least put it up on top of the TV. For Pete's sake!!! This is a Government agency! No wonder bureaucrats have such a bad rap. I haven't decided yet if I should write an article for the newspaper, make a suggestion at that office, or call my friggin' congressman. Come on folks let me hear from you, I'm dying to know if I'm just being a paranoid nutball or what.
Here's an example; I saw a news report a few years ago about doctors and hospitals carelessly throwing old medical records in the trash, and not long after shredding of outdated or sensitive documents became much less a good idea and more a necessity!
Now here is my specific gripe. Have you ever noticed those handy little baskets full of mail at the receptionist's desk at the doctor's office, or your lawyer's? I mean come on!!! You would think the medical profession would have learned their lesson by now, and if you can't trust your ATTORNEY, of all people, with your information the world is in sad shape. After I noticed this trend I really started paying close attention. This practice is very commonplace, at least in the area where I live. Even better, not only is the mail, full of your personal and possibly damaging information, sitting on the front counter in easy reach of anyone off the street, but (no exaggeration) 90% of the time the was no one any where near the desk to even keep an eye on it!
At my local physician's office that nifty little mail basket sits on a counter full of fliers for patients to take home. Just the other day I sat and watched a seedy looking fellow browse through the pamphlets for a good 15 minutes. And NO ONE NOTICED! Why would they? He was just browsing through the material that the office, in all their wisdom, left for him to look at. The fact that he could have just as easily picked up the 3 inch stack of outgoing mail and walked off with it to examine at his leisure must have never crossed anyone's mind!
Tell me, am I just being paranoid? Or does somebody need a little training, and maybe an ass kicking!
One more gripe, this one just happened today! Okay it actually starts yesterday. I was at the county/state run employment agency and signing up for an orientation class. The guy handed me a sheet of paper and asked me to write my name and social. Above my name was at least five other names and socials. I mean this guy had filled my information in on at least 5 other forms on his PC, I guess he couldn't operate a pen. Or maybe he was just being nice and trying to give me a little extra help stealing someone else's identity. No harm done though, I guess he's such a good judge of character that he could just tell what an honest guy I am. My poor wife had to listen to me rant about this for 30 minutes.
Icing on the Cake
Today I went in for the aforementioned orientation meeting. This time another guy had that familiar little piece of paper so he could call role. No big deal I am sure he was authorized to have everyone social security numbers for other aspects of his job. However, the first part of the meeting was going to be a 15 min video that he'd already sat through hundreds of times so understandably he left the room while we watched it. The only problem was that he decided to leave that inconspicuous paper lying on a table right in front of one of the other meeting attendees. I mean it was like he sat it down FOR him to look at. Would it have killed him to take it out of the room with him, or at least put it up on top of the TV. For Pete's sake!!! This is a Government agency! No wonder bureaucrats have such a bad rap. I haven't decided yet if I should write an article for the newspaper, make a suggestion at that office, or call my friggin' congressman. Come on folks let me hear from you, I'm dying to know if I'm just being a paranoid nutball or what.
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