Personal Data Collection

[Tex929rr]

I was setting up an online account for our fire department’s Costco account this morning. After I had created my user name and password I was asked in an email to verify my account, and a pop up window told me they used a third party service to identify people. Each question was multiple choice. The first question asked was the color of a motorcycle I purchased in 2015 (and still own). The second was in what state did I live from 1970-1975; the third gave the name of the street where my wife and I lived in our senior year of college (1981-82), and asked me to select the city. I think it asked a fourth question which I have forgotten. I assume this data is likely sourced from credit reporting places, but it still amazes me how quickly it could access these details. After all, we didn’t have any credit cards when we were in college, I paid cash for the motorcycle, and from 70-75 I was a middle and high schooler. Of course once it’s in the database it’s virtually instantly accessible.

Mrs Tex and I once counted how many places had our fingerprints, and I think it was 6 (and neither of us has ever been arrested). Someplace the USAF has her footprint as all pilots get footprinted for identification in the case of a crash (for obviously gruesome reasons). But .gov has nothing on the credit agencies. I hope.

"

 

[IXLR8]

We need your Social Security number also please..... Oh never mind, we already have it. Did you know a street dealer named Pablo? Huh?

 

[Hoji]

Needed now more than ever

Carrington Event - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[busykngt]

I recently experienced a similar situation. A few of the questions asked of me where somewhat disconcerting (to say the least). I would venture to say at least three of the questions asked, not even my family and closest friends know about me. They were things I did on my own and have never really talked to anyone about them. This verification inquiry struck me as being on a whole new level. It wasn’t your basic: mother’s maiden name, your first pet’s name, name of grade school you attended, etc. These were questions that left an impression on me (& a bit unsettling).

 

[lonestardiver]

There are several more layers of info collected about you and aggregated by several companies for such purposes that most people never know about…until they see such questions. Lexus Nexus is one such…they are also used a lot by skip tracers.

 

[CharlieWH2O]

What third party service did they use to verify? Is it possible you had used that third party service previously? That would be the viable reason you experienced what you did.

 

[Tex929rr]

What third party service did they use to verify? Is it possible you had used that third party service previously? That would be the viable reason you experienced what you did.

No way for me to know. I had to think pretty hard about the street where we lived 40 years ago. I remember having to fill out things that wanted my previous addresses backs a ways, but not that far.

 

[benenglish]

LE-level access to Accurint could tell our officers how many nose hairs you had (well, almost...) and that was back when I retired, about a decade ago.

I just assume that private data aggregators know everything and proceed accordingly. After all, the whole reason they came into existence is because there are laws in place to prevent the federal government from compiling such dossiers on private citizens. There are, however, no laws to prevent the government from paying to look at the databases of private companies who compile as much information as they can.

IOW, the fed outsourced their open source domestic spying a long time ago. We shouldn't be surprised that the companies in that business also sell the data to everyone else, such as Costco.

 

[rotor]

Might be worthwhile to check your credit report. You can do for free once a year I believe. Check it on all of the credit agencies.

 

[CharlieWH2O]

No way for me to know. I had to think pretty hard about the street where we lived 40 years ago. I remember having to fill out things that wanted my previous addresses backs a ways, but not that far.

Addresses likely come from your credit bureau file and they go back 40+ years. As stated above checking all three bureaus once a year is a must (It's free). You can also have basic credit monitoring in place with each at no charge. Google your name. You may be surprised how much info is out there on you both correct and not. You do have the ability to remove or opt out of the majority of that data collection in most of those private sites.

 

[Tex929rr]

Might be worthwhile to check your credit report. You can do for free once a year I believe. Check it on all of the credit agencies.

We already do that. I’m not particularly concerned about that data being out there; none of it was wrong and I don’t have anything I need to hide. Getting a carry permit, getting my EMT license, and my military service all required me to hand over lots of information to different agencies and I know none of it is going away.

I was mostly just surprised by how easily available it was. A funny side issue is that the Citi credit card for Costco gives you a FICO score, so apparently our VFD’s credit is in pretty good shape.

 

[oldag]

Public records.

 

[TheDan]

The first question asked was the color of a motorcycle I purchased in 2015 (and still own). The second was in what state did I live from 1970-1975; the third gave the name of the street where my wife and I lived in our senior year of college (1981-82), and asked me to select the city. ... I assume this data is likely sourced from credit reporting places...

Public records.

Yep. Your local government sold your info to data aggregators.


I was hoping we would be comparing spreadsheets in this thread.