Credit details of 143 million US Citizens comprimised

[Dylanc1500]

56 minutes ago, Tao said:

Yes.

Normally this can be done (in theory) via a defamation law suit.

However provision 4.3 and 4.9 of Schedule 1 of PIPEDA outlines needing consent, and needing to make corrections when proof to the contrary is provided.

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/P-8.6/page-11.html#h-26

This is enforced by making a formal complaint through the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

The U.S. Operates similarly, if you notice something your credit you can file for a identity theft or incorrect claim through the bureau  and must submit a legal case for any incident on your report that is incorrect or false.

[Dylanc1500]

17 minutes ago, valdyrgramr said:

I pay rent in cash which covers utilities too as well as net.    So, using a debit instead of credit equates to a credit score?

ANY institution can pull your credit report from any of the bureaus with your consent. If you have an account of any type what-so-ever at any financial institution then you have given them consent to run soft pull credit reports. Note there are differences between a hard pull credit report and a soft pull credit report. Soft pulls can be done at any time and it isn't shown on your report.

[jasonvp]

13 minutes ago, valdyrgramr said:

Well, I generally pay on time.  I just don't use these credit report things.

I don't think you quite understand what he's trying to say.  You have a credit rating right now because you're paying for things you're using AFTER using them.  In other words: you spend a month using electricity (or gas, or water, or ... <insert utility here>) and THEN you pay for that month.  Do you think the utility company is willing to just give you that month of service without having some inkling you can pay it back?

 

That trust they have in you is the credit rating.  If someone steals your info and takes out a big loan in your name, you'll likely never be able to get new utilities again.  Or ever be able to rent a new place.  Or buy a house.  Or a new car (assuming you can't pay for it in cash).

 

"I don't need credit" is short-term thinking of the young.  I don't mean that to be insulting, it's more pointing out a fact.  You need to start thinking longer term.

[Dylanc1500]

Just now, valdyrgramr said:

Like a bank?  Also, I never had a credit report done with my bank.

Yes, banks and credit unions alike. You don't have to have had them pull it. Like I said they can soft pull your credit report at any time (they don't per FDIC though and only when any changes to accounts are made.) howeber, hard pull credit checks will be shown on your credit report from any of the bureaus. When you open an account they run a check on your credit history (again per FDIC regulations) to check for anything fraudulent by you or to you as to protect you the customer (bank) or member (credit union) and the financial institution themselves.

[Jito463]

27 minutes ago, valdyrgramr said:

What if you rent from family?  Does credit still get built?

4 minutes ago, valdyrgramr said:

The utility bills aren't in my name.  I hand a relative an amount of cash which covers the rent and utility portion.

If that's the case, then it's possible you may not have a credit history, but it doesn't necessarily mean they (the credit reporting agencies) don't have your information anyway.

[jasonvp]

1 minute ago, valdyrgramr said:

 Hulu and my cell phone bill

An internet utility and an actual utility.

 

You have a credit rating.

[Dylanc1500]

Just now, valdyrgramr said:

I don't think my bank uses them, though.

The only things I pay myself are Hulu and my cell phone bill, or doctor's bills not covered by my insurance.  

Your bank likely uses Trans Union as its a much better agency. That said, they can pull from any.

 

If your cell phone isn't a burner type service (go phone, straight talk, basically any prepaid service) then they most likely pulled a credit check. You have insurance, then you DEFINITELY are in their systems. Insurance companies do credit checks (medical, auto, life, home, renters) most likely any hospital you have been to for anything and have to do payments has done a check as well.

[Dylanc1500]

Lordy schools really need to teach this stuff to kids. It's awful that people don't realize how important and how large a role your credit plays. Also realize it's not just the score that matters from these bureaus, it's also your LINE OF CREDIT (ergo: credit history) that plays a role in everything you do or will do in the future. 

[Jito463]

1 minute ago, valdyrgramr said:

I have insurance from the government, not a company.  And, I have a burner type.

It doesn't matter.  It's all interconnected.  If you have insurance, and you're paying for it yourself, then you have a credit rating/history (and all three of the major ones communicate with each other, so it's not like using one will protect you from breaches in either of the other two).

[Jito463]

10 minutes ago, Dylanc1500 said:

Lordy schools really need to teach this stuff to kids. It's awful that people don't realize how important and how large a role your credit plays. Also realize it's not just the score that matters from these bureaus, it's also your LINE OF CREDIT (ergo: credit history) that plays a role in everything you do or will do in the future. 

I agree, it's amazing how little people understand something that can affect your entire future, unless you plan to become a hermit and run off to a cave somewhere (frankly, that option does become more and more appealing as time goes by, so long as I can get power for my computer and internet run to my cave).

[Jito463]

Just now, valdyrgramr said:

The government pays it, not me.

I guarantee that you're in at least one of their databases.

[Dylanc1500]

2 minutes ago, valdyrgramr said:

The government pays it, not me.

Yes on your behalf, but that doesn't matter as its still comes back to you if the government decided it's not willing to pay for something.

[Dylanc1500]

5 minutes ago, Jito463 said:

It doesn't matter.  It's all interconnected.  If you have insurance, and you're paying for it yourself, then you have a credit rating/history (and all three of the major ones communicate with each other, so it's not like using one will protect you from breaches in either of the other two).

Now the three don't actually intercommunicate and that's regulated for a very good reason, as if someone steals your identity or something happens with one bureau it won't effect the other and you have the ability to back check with another bureau and fight whatever it may be (identity theft, incorrect reporting, mishaps like this one lol).

[Lurick]

1 hour ago, valdyrgramr said:

What if you rent from family?  Does credit still get built?

Not if they don't report it to credit agencies, which they most likely don't.

If you use a debit card and not credit card then you still might have some sort of history when the bank first checked your information out but you don't build credit that way.

 

If you ever want to use a house, get a car loan, etc. I would highly suggest looking into getting a small credit card, putting a couple things on it and paying it off and just keep doing that for a few years. It will build up a score for you when you need a big line of credit (house loan for example) and without any credit history you might as well never dream of owning a home since that's near impossible without credit history.

[Lurick]

1 minute ago, valdyrgramr said:

Ya, my sister keeps telling me to get one.  However, I don't want to deal with credit until after uni.

Probably a smart move  

[Jito463]

2 hours ago, Dylanc1500 said:

Now the three don't actually intercommunicate and that's regulated for a very good reason, as if someone steals your identity or something happens with one bureau it won't effect the other and you have the ability to back check with another bureau and fight whatever it may be (identity theft, incorrect reporting, mishaps like this one lol).

It's possible that my understanding in this area is lacking, but the rest of my points still stand.

[Donut417]

18 hours ago, ionbasa said:

Don't passports serve as national IDs? We have Passport Cards available in addition to an actual Passport booklet. CA has had enhanced IDs and Driver's Licences for a while. National IDs seem redundant if I already have an DL from my state, would I have to carry two IDs around now (or three since I keep my passport card in my wallet)? Just seems redundant with the current way things are set up.

Your not required by law to have a passport. I think something like 30% of American's have passports. The issue is, the Federal Government has a harder time IDing people, because states are not always helpful when it comes to the Feds. Plus creditors dont have a good way to ID you. Thats why they ask for the SS number when you need to do things credit related. SS cards are not a good ID, as they have no picture on the card or have any security built in. Which is why a national ID card needs to happen. OR at least have states and the Feds come up with an acceptable ID that can be issued at the state level. Heres a video that explains a good deal of this: 

 

18 hours ago, wcreek said:

I appreciate privacy and I think it's a right everyone deserves but yeah agreed. 
Using something not designed for identification purposes as identification creates the issues we've seen in the past and continuing and getting worse today. Mexico has a consular ID card that has an EMV chip in it, the Philippines will be using EMV and Biometrics which I'm even more a fan of but considering the concern for violating the fifth amendment and possibly other things I can understand why to not be in favor of that. Though I do hate the phrase "Only wrong doers need be concerned." That's a clear example of a slippery slope type deal.  

 

Honestly though I like the idea of going to an airport or a border crossing like at the US/CAN border and just inserting a card into a machine and declare what I needed to declare either through the machine or to a border agent though I think a recent development in American law is that border agents can search you phone/computer or possibly request for passwords to social media or whatever and that I do not like one bit and kinda makes me not want to travel to Canada just because that's something that I like to keep private for the most part. The current PM of Canada makes me not want to travel to Canada tbh.

That is why I use a password manager and dont know any of my passwords. If I ever leave the US on a trip I would buy a spare phone that has no access to my password manager. Thats how you solve the issue right there. 

[handymanshandle]

17 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

That is why I use a password manager and dont know any of my passwords. If I ever leave the US on a trip I would buy a spare phone that has no access to my password manager. Thats how you solve the issue right there. 

Tell the agent, well sir or ma'am I don't know my passwords. And I don't know the password to my password manager either

[Jito463]

38 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

SS cards are not a good ID, as they have no picture on the card or have any security built in.  Which is why a national ID card needs to happen. OR at least have states and the Feds come up with an acceptable ID that can be issued at the state level.

There's a reason why SS cards don't have any security on them.  When Social Security Numbers were first introduced, the government was besieged by citizens who were afraid it would be used as a national ID number.  They only got it through because they promised it would never be used as such.  Fast forward to present day, and here we are using it just like an ID number (politicians lie...who knew?).  I'd like to believe that the citizens - as a whole - would not accept a national ID card, but I'm not so sure that's true anymore.

[Donut417]

1 minute ago, Jito463 said:

There's a reason why SS cards don't have any security on them.  When Social Security Numbers were first introduced, the government was besieged by citizens who were afraid it would be used as a national ID number.  They only got it through because they promised it would never be used as such.  Fast forward to present day, and here we are using it just like an ID number (politicians lie...who knew?).  I'd like to believe that the citizens - as a whole - would not accept a national ID card, but I'm not so sure that's true anymore.

Thats the issue. People are dumb asses. Either we get a national ID system, or keep having data breaches and Social Security numbers stolen. 

[Jito463]

Just now, Donut417 said:

Either we get a national ID system, or keep having data breaches and Social Security numbers stolen.

Or we stop allowing governments and corporations to have access to all our data.  They just become one juicy target for hackers and thieves, and they will eventually get hacked.

 

How we go about doing that, I don't have a clue.  I'm not even sure if it's possible at this point.  I can dream, however.

[handymanshandle]

8 minutes ago, Jito463 said:

There's a reason why SS cards don't have any security on them.  When Social Security Numbers were first introduced, the government was besieged by citizens who were afraid it would be used as a national ID number.  They only got it through because they promised it would never be used as such.  Fast forward to present day, and here we are using it just like an ID number (politicians lie...who knew?).  I'd like to believe that the citizens - as a whole - would not accept a national ID card, but I'm not so sure that's true anymore.

If it would reduce the amount of fraud significantly I think citizens would be in more support of it.