Comments on: ‘Dear Veteran….our bad!’ http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/9293 Minneapolis + St. Paul Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:07:19 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Bad Credit http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/9293#comment-43206 Bad Credit Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:58:11 +0000 #comment-43206 Its quite normal that large organizations loose documents every so often. However it is important that you show evidence that you have submitted a form or document. So the best advice when it comes to dealing with organization with poor filling procedures is to simply "officialize" every document sent back and forth. When you send something to them, sent it registered mail, if you are dropping off a document in person get a "received" chop on the document. Last but not least. Don't call them, because there never is a record of conversations. Its quite normal that large organizations loose documents every so often. However it is important that you show evidence that you have submitted a form or document. So the best advice when it comes to dealing with organization with poor filling procedures is to simply “officialize” every document sent back and forth. When you send something to them, sent it registered mail, if you are dropping off a document in person get a “received” chop on the document. Last but not least. Don’t call them, because there never is a record of conversations.

]]> By: just plain Bob http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/9293#comment-39999 just plain Bob Tue, 13 Jun 2006 23:59:59 +0000 #comment-39999 This seems to be Identity Theft Day on MNspeak. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and stories.<br /> <br /> I sign off with a piece of advice to VA Secretary R. James Nicholson--you had better steer clear of VFW and Legion events for awhile. There are a lot of angry vets out there! This seems to be Identity Theft Day on MNspeak. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and stories.

I sign off with a piece of advice to VA Secretary R. James Nicholson–you had better steer clear of VFW and Legion events for awhile. There are a lot of angry vets out there!

]]> By: champs http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/9293#comment-39994 champs Tue, 13 Jun 2006 22:04:24 +0000 #comment-39994 My point is that private data leaks are a problem, but without lenders willing to take flimsy credentials, ID theft just wouldn't work. The latest bankruptcy bill is all the evidence you need to see that the lending industry can stop fraud (and a whole lot more), if it wants to -- but apparently it's more profitable to write off a few bad loans and keep the credit flowing. The lenders' fuckups are YOUR problems. My point is that private data leaks are a problem, but without lenders willing to take flimsy credentials, ID theft just wouldn’t work. The latest bankruptcy bill is all the evidence you need to see that the lending industry can stop fraud (and a whole lot more), if it wants to — but apparently it’s more profitable to write off a few bad loans and keep the credit flowing. The lenders’ fuckups are YOUR problems.

]]> By: Mpls Simpleton http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/9293#comment-39949 Mpls Simpleton Tue, 13 Jun 2006 18:17:17 +0000 #comment-39949 Clement...why don't you give us your full name, SSN and DOB if you think identity theft is not an issue? I'm guessing your credit might be so bad already that no damage could be done. Clement…why don’t you give us your full name, SSN and DOB if you think identity theft is not an issue? I’m guessing your credit might be so bad already that no damage could be done.

]]> By: Clement http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/9293#comment-39947 Clement Tue, 13 Jun 2006 18:16:12 +0000 #comment-39947 Christ, when did MNSpeak become a clearinghouse for whiny victims of minor crimes? Christ, when did MNSpeak become a clearinghouse for whiny victims of minor crimes?

]]> By: k http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/9293#comment-39936 k Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:56:09 +0000 #comment-39936 credit card companies are the largest unregulated business in the country. in some ways, they are very much the bad guy. and here, here, champs, becuase that is EXACTLY right. you don't own your own info... other companies have better access to it than you do. recently wanted to check out some things on my own report and it was a mess to deal with. credit card companies are the largest unregulated business in the country. in some ways, they are very much the bad guy. and here, here, champs, becuase that is EXACTLY right. you don’t own your own info… other companies have better access to it than you do. recently wanted to check out some things on my own report and it was a mess to deal with.

]]> By: Luke http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/9293#comment-39927 Luke Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:25:20 +0000 #comment-39927 srhcb, I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but the lenders are partially at fault. Of course, the primary bad-actor is the person who fraudlently uses your data to get credit in your name, but the credit companies refuse to take real measures to do anything about it, because it would hurt their bottom line. Indeed, they prey on fear to sell credit reports to you at $50 a year! What a joke.<br /> <br /> I took the time to look up Kevin Drum's proposal. Here it is: <a href="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2005/0512.drum.html">You Own You: When identity thieves open an account in your name it should be the bank's problem--not yours</a>.<br /> <br /> He makes an analogy to what happens when someone steals your physical credit card: you can't be held liable for more than $50 in charges. Result: credit card companies got hella serious about preventing fraud.<br /> <br /> It's a great article, I really recommend everyone read it. And in 7 weeks, freeze your credit report. It'll stop you from getting instant credit next time you want to buy a couch at Design Out Of Reach, but you can wait 24 hours to think about it, anyway. srhcb, I’m not sure if you’re being sarcastic or not, but the lenders are partially at fault. Of course, the primary bad-actor is the person who fraudlently uses your data to get credit in your name, but the credit companies refuse to take real measures to do anything about it, because it would hurt their bottom line. Indeed, they prey on fear to sell credit reports to you at $50 a year! What a joke.

I took the time to look up Kevin Drum’s proposal. Here it is: You Own You: When identity thieves open an account in your name it should be the bank’s problem–not yours.

He makes an analogy to what happens when someone steals your physical credit card: you can’t be held liable for more than $50 in charges. Result: credit card companies got hella serious about preventing fraud.

It’s a great article, I really recommend everyone read it. And in 7 weeks, freeze your credit report. It’ll stop you from getting instant credit next time you want to buy a couch at Design Out Of Reach, but you can wait 24 hours to think about it, anyway.

]]> By: Dan Heilman http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/9293#comment-39912 Dan Heilman Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:02:42 +0000 #comment-39912 <em>Yes, you can freeze your credit report.</em><br /> <br /> Well, seven weeks from now <a href="http://www.guardmycreditfile.org/index.php/content/view/635/50/" target="_blank">you can</a>.<br /> Yes, you can freeze your credit report.

Well, seven weeks from now you can.

]]> By: kwatt http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/9293#comment-39904 kwatt Tue, 13 Jun 2006 15:28:42 +0000 #comment-39904 <em>On the plus side, the thieves probably didn't know the information was there ... until it was widely publicized. D'Oh!</em><br /> <br /> Which was probably why the VA didn't come forward right away. <br /> <br /> And it was my understanding from reading the article I can no longer find that a person would actually have to program code or some techie thing to see the data.<br /> On the plus side, the thieves probably didn’t know the information was there … until it was widely publicized. D’Oh!

Which was probably why the VA didn’t come forward right away.

And it was my understanding from reading the article I can no longer find that a person would actually have to program code or some techie thing to see the data.

]]> By: Foster http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/9293#comment-39903 Foster Tue, 13 Jun 2006 15:16:36 +0000 #comment-39903 Last year my younger sister tried to obtain a Discover card and a Dell computer with my social security number. She found all the info she needed on an old report card my mom had in a scrapbook or something. She was a meth addict at the time. It was Discover Card who tipped me off, because her address wasn't on any of my credit reports. I found the Dell credit inquiry myself on a credit report.<br /> <br /> The Minneapolis police captain I spoke with regarding filing a police report (to try and get her arrested and thrown into treatment) said that most identity theft comes from people who know you or have access to your own records. Since she wasn't successful in obtaining any credit, the attempts weren't prosecutable.<br /> <br /> Luckily, she was also forging stolen checks and was busted. After two months in jail and four months in treatment, she is herself again and on her way to recovery. Last year my younger sister tried to obtain a Discover card and a Dell computer with my social security number. She found all the info she needed on an old report card my mom had in a scrapbook or something. She was a meth addict at the time. It was Discover Card who tipped me off, because her address wasn’t on any of my credit reports. I found the Dell credit inquiry myself on a credit report.

The Minneapolis police captain I spoke with regarding filing a police report (to try and get her arrested and thrown into treatment) said that most identity theft comes from people who know you or have access to your own records. Since she wasn’t successful in obtaining any credit, the attempts weren’t prosecutable.

Luckily, she was also forging stolen checks and was busted. After two months in jail and four months in treatment, she is herself again and on her way to recovery.

]]>