Identity Theft: Are Companies to Blame?
By having all these businesses require that you provide them with most of your private information, it makes you lose some privacy. It also allows easy access to that information. Your social security number probably has been given out to so many companies that you have used or were going to use throughout your entire life. Some people give out their personal information on a weekly or monthly basis. If you can remember your social security number, driver's license number or credit card number without looking it up, then you've probably passed it out hundreds of times.
I just enrolled my two year old at this new dentist office and they had a form that needed to be filled out with all my personal information and including my wife's personal information. They even wanted to know what my daughter's favorite food was and if she had a pet. I thought it was overboard, especially when they asked for her pet's name. This really isn't necessary for a two year old to visit the dentist twice a year.
Since all these companies request this information and keep it stored in a file or on their computer, it makes it much easier for hackers and criminals to steal it. They might even just sell it to criminals somewhere in the United States or even around the world.
I think most companies should not ask for your social security number, date of birth and driver's license number. By passing around your private information on a regular basis, it just allows identity theft to become more and more popular. Everyone has the right to check their credit report twice in a 12 month time frame for free. Go to annualcreditreport.com to check up on your credit records. Make sure you report any suspicious items as soon as you see there could be an error.
Source:
annualcreditreport.com
Published by Dale Miller
Lives in Buffalo,NY and works in the auto industry. I like to write articles for websites on topics that are interesting to me. You should never stop learning. View profile
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2 Comments
Post a CommentSomeone got into an argument at my kids' dentist's office about their demands for info and left the practice because of it. I just happened to be there to witness the argument.
I agree that some of these questions are absurb.