Security warning/notice

[palo]

Hey Zach thanks for your interest. It's a long story so here are the highlights. At one time I had an excellent credit rating. Some creep obtained my social security number and one of my credit card numbers and got a state issued ID with my name and his picture. He was able to create lines of credit with stores and banks (didn't actually charge anything to the credit card until much later - too petty I guess). Once the first credit collector located the real me, the stuff hit the fan. The first year was the worst as hardly a day went when I wasn't getting threatening letters from attorneys or collection agencies, or sending out notorized, sworn affidavits or just on the phone with somebody about it. Of course my credit rating suffered and I had to be flagged as a credit fraud victim with the agencies - that makes it hard for anyone to get credit with my name - including me (that stays on a profile for 7 years). It slowed down a little the second year and more time was spent trying to get the ones giving the bad report to the agencies to make another report to clear it - but half of them wouldn't bother. Skip to year 7 - some bad charges against me still showed up - another 7 year flag put up with the credit acencies. Must be around year 20 now and I refuse to to look at my credit reports anymore - need credit - wife applies. So how much did it cost me? Not much in money really.

There was another unrelated crime against me by what I call a "watcher" but that's another chapter.

You know certain things are out of your control - I suspect a low level employee got my information from a data base at a hotel reservation service. But the moral is be careful when you can.

Pat

[DrHu]

The person who indicates we are being watched at all times is being a little paranoid, a coffee shop or internet cafe (if they still exist) is not a place where any monitors are that much interested in their customers internet activity; albeit is a good place to scavenge data/passwords Facebook profiles et all.

The only thing you should be doing on a free WiFi site or public access terminal with no passwords required (anonymous) is generic browsing of subjects of interest
--anything that requires a logon: Facebook, email, should be done from a more secure connection: such as your own home ISP connections, especially something like online banking updates..

You mentioned -- The NET -- good movie; I also liked --The Last Enemy--

[zacharysonicfast]

Drhu,

Unfortunately I do not have any internet access except for free wifi in public places.
And yes, everyone is being watched.

Cameras are installed to help catch criminals and watch you too, in case you are a criminal. Just got to love the signs that say 'for your protection..."

I do not have any credit cards, bank cards, shopping cards, etc. I do not even have a bank account!

All it takes is one person to get someone's information and the problems begin.


Pat,
Surely it cost you both time and money with your problems. At the very least gas and postage.

You can apply for a secondary social security number (you are allowed 3 in fact). Bring police reports and whatever proof you have with you to the social security office. If the worker hasn't got a clue, keep going up the chain until you find someone who does know about it. This is not a well known method.

Your current SS number will be your main one but once you get a secondary one you can use that for credit.

Another work around for you is to get a federal tax ID number and use that as a business account. You don't need to have a real money making business to get it. And you can use it to obtain credit. I believe IRS will allow a business loss for up to 15 years.

A tax loophole would be to start a religion of some sort. The IRS has an approved list of religions you can choose from. Be sure to have regular 'services' (lol) weekly and be able to prove it. Church of the lousy fisherman might be a nice name? Meet once a week and pray that the next big fish won't get away?

Now, 50% of your outside the church income (your current income source) can be donated to the church (you) and your taxes can be reduced because you would be in a lower tax bracket. And as a church, you usually are tax exempt from sales taxes in most places. This can be a big savings on big purchases like a new car for your 'church' (aka you) to use. Say a $20,000 car at 8% sales tax would be a savings of $1600.00 that you wouldn't have to pay. It adds up. And of course churches do not pay income taxes.
Doing this is like getting a 100% pay raise.

Be sure to follow IRS rules 'exactly' or you would get into trouble. A certified cpa or tax lawyer can help best in this area.

If you decide to do any of this be sure you seek a smart lawyer so the paperwork doesn't have any holes in it.

And it would be nice to know if any of this worked for you.

Be aware that the secondary ss number won't protect you in any criminal issues. The police have access to the main one and it is linked to any subsequent ones you might get. The police have access to the national medical database too. So if someone tried to use any of it for medical reasons it too is still linked to your main ss number.
The database exists because it is used by the government to do part of background checks and profile checks in investigations. Of course insurance companies use it too.

Have you tried lifelock yet? I think they contact the police if there is someone trying to use your info, at least that is what the commercial leads people to believe.

Only way to get a new primary ss number would be the witness protection program or some other extreme measures.

If the government would pass laws to allow people to get out from under situations like yours with a brand new start it would go a long way in fixing many problems.

[nomko]

@ all forum admin's:
Can this thread be locked... This item begins to look more like a support group for paranoid characters.....

[palo]

I suspect there are some that worry about the security of their computer in a way that is very disproportionate to the way they view security in general. Criminals are mostly lazy opportunists and is not so likely that they are going after any important information of yours by monitoring some wifi network or security cameras (resolution is too poor anyway) . What's the best they can hope to get that's important to you: They can get your Facebook name and password and make a mess of your social life (if that's what Facebook is). Even your credit card is not important - there are much easier ways to get that - and when it happens that charges appear on it that aren't yours you report it as stolen - it's all just a big inconvenience. Like DrHu says just use good sense about security.

My computer sits next to file drawers that have all types of personal/financial information - it would be absurd to encrypt files on my computer but having a firewall and locking the doors on my house seems reasonable. Do you have a credit card and social security number together in the same place like a wallet but worry about the security of your computer stuff? There's paranoia and there is awareness - you decide what makes you comfortable.

Zacharysonicfast> you have made a lot of suggestions but they fall on deaf ears as I don't try to fix that stuff anymore. Tks anyway.

Pat

[zacharysonicfast]

nomko, my view on this thread is that if anyone doesn't like it they don't have to read it.

Please allow others to express their views and issues and they will allow you to do the same.

Everything in this thread applies to everyone, sooner or later.

I posted a scant few items for people to take notice. Some people might benefit from the information.

About paranoia. With all due respect, your opinion may or may not be qualified. But everyone should exercise some sense of security, paranoid or not.

Pat, I do not carry my ss card nor do I have a credit card or bank account.

I reiterate - yes, everyone is being watched by someone, some place, and at various times. Many people do not realize that theft of your information, however benign, can cause you problems, as stated by Pat. Poor pat has to live with the problem indefinitely.

About cameras and sensitivity - cameras do not have to be that sensitive to watch your fingers move around a keyboard. But many of the new ones can easily see the date on a quarter. It makes for better identification of a criminal at a distance.

There are other reasons why people would want to be observant of their surroundings other then identity theft.

What about a woman walking out to her car at night. A good camera could read the license number of someone who might assault her (or worse). I surely would want cameras that sensitive to help catch and prosecute a criminal in cases like that. So,a woman might be desirous of observing her surroundings and park where there are cameras, for security reasons.


I could list many scenarios.

[zacharysonicfast]

Here is another interesting item.
There was a TV show on recently called 'person of interest'.

Perhaps those who are unsure of the security issues could check the show to see more?

[monkeyboy]

Dude, its not real.

[xenopeek]

Let's all back off a bit and not make this personal.

[zacharysonicfast]

Thank you for fixing the thread.

Security is a major concern for everyone. If it wasn't then there wouldn't be firewalls, cameras, etc being used today.

My main reason for starting this thread is to inform others that might not be aware of a security oversight, such as hidden cameras watching everything and the potential for abuse of anything they view.

The possibility of identity theft is a big concern for many people. One weak point in the security scheme of things is that people are being monitored. This can include the gleaning of passwords and login information.

The USA is a society of litigation as well. All sums obtained via a lawsuit are usually tax free.

Here is another plausible scenario - say a company had a disgruntled employee bent on causing problems. Say the employee got the login information from a supervisor that happened to be on lunch using their wifi and checking to see if the work schedule was correct and listed. Quite plausible. Say the disgruntled employee managed to obtain the login info via a camera installed in the business. Then the employee used the information to try to cause problems.

There are many possibilities for abuses to occur. Many times people are oblivious to the risks involved or are complacent thinking 'it can't happen to me'.

I would write more but am having problems with my internet connection...