Your opinions, please!

We all know the problem with our pilot license numbers. The
name and address of a pilot, his SS number and the exact N-number,
serial number, and address of his airplane, a very valuable tangible
asset, might make easy picking for an identity thief. Am I being
overly cautious, yes.

You know, I hear this ALL THE TIME -- yet, I've never met a single person
who has actually suffered from "identity theft".

As you all know, I use my real name, my real address, my real email address
(well, mostly), and the real name of my business -- thus far, with minimal
hassle. Am I being stupid? Dunno -- but I simply can't bring myself to hide
behind a phony name.

I *really* enjoy the new Visa commercials, with the guy's voice-over on the
little old lady -- they're hilarious and really get the point across about
the risks of identity theft. However, they *are* trying to sell a product,
and (as a result) the cynic in me rises to the fore. I just have to wonder
if this whole "identity theft" thing isn't a product of Madison Avenue, once
again trying to fan the flames of our own paranoia, in an effort to sell us
something?

Does anyone know a real person who has suffered this fate?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
Does anyone know a real person who has suffered this fate?

Yes. Over 10 years ago, I received a call from the Secret Service asking
if I would be willing to help prosecute someone who had multiple
credit cards in my name and that of many other people. I, of course,
cooperated.

As it happens, they had caught the guys before much had been purchased
on the credit card numbers, and while the physical cards were still in
their possession.

They (the bad guys) had obtained identifying information by picking the
utterly ineffective lock on postal clusterboxes at various apartment
complexes in Dallas. They were caught, the agent told me, due to an
unusual number of new telephone line installation requests that were
made to an apartment. The complex owner got suspicious, and called the
local cops. The local cops figured it was a numbers operation, and
called in the Feds. The FBI handed it to Treasury after observing an
unsually high volume of what appeared to be credit card statements going
to the same address. Phone record analysis gave them enough along with
every thing else gave them enough to get a search warrant, as I recall.
(Lots of calls from credit card companies calling for verification.
This was apparently necessary because they were asking for cards at an
address for which there was no other sustantiating information; they
claimed a new move. CC company called "employer" to verify. Each phone
represented a different fake employer, for whom they (the bad guys) had
a list of "employees." They gave the CC company the new address in
verification, and the card was issued.)

They had so much evidence that I never had to testify. They (the Secret
Service) also worked directly with the credit card companies to get the
whole mess cleaned up.

So, yes, I know someone. Me.

Ben Sego

Jay Honeck wrote:
I just have to wonder
if this whole "identity theft" thing isn't a product of Madison Avenue, once
again trying to fan the flames of our own paranoia, in an effort to sell us
something?

Does anyone know a real person who has suffered this fate?

Yes. Over 10 years ago, I received a call from the Secret Service asking
if I would be willing to help prosecute someone who had multiple
credit cards in my name and that of many other people. I, of course,
cooperated.

As it happens, they had caught the guys before much had been purchased
on the credit card numbers, and while the physical cards were still in
their possession.

They (the bad guys) had obtained identifying information by picking the
utterly ineffective lock on postal clusterboxes at various apartment
complexes in Dallas. They were caught, the agent told me, due to an
unusual number of new telephone line installation requests that were
made to an apartment. The complex owner got suspicious, and called the
local cops. The local cops figured it was a numbers operation, and
called in the Feds. The FBI handed it to Treasury after observing an
unsually high volume of what appeared to be credit card statements going
to the same address. Phone record analysis gave them enough along with
every thing else gave them enough to get a search warrant, as I recall.
(Lots of calls from credit card companies calling for verification.
This was apparently necessary because they were asking for cards at an
address for which there was no other sustantiating information; they
claimed a new move. CC company called "employer" to verify. Each phone
represented a different fake employer, for whom they (the bad guys) had
a list of "employees." They gave the CC company the new address in
verification, and the card was issued.)

They had so much evidence that I never had to testify. They (the Secret
Service) also worked directly with the credit card companies to get the
whole mess cleaned up.

So, yes, I know someone. Me.

Ben Sego

Jay Honeck wrote:

Does anyone know a real person who has suffered this fate?

Yes, and he's been trying to straighten it out for
at least two years now.

Dave 'easy credit' Hyde

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:t9uCb.328993$Dw6.1107274@attbi_s02...
We all know the problem with our pilot license numbers. The
name and address of a pilot, his SS number and the exact N-number,
serial number, and address of his airplane, a very valuable tangible
asset, might make easy picking for an identity thief. Am I being
overly cautious, yes.

You know, I hear this ALL THE TIME -- yet, I've never met a single person
who has actually suffered from "identity theft".

Well while don't you test it. Start posting your social security number on
this newsgroup and others.

Probably nothing will happen.

As you all know, I use my real name, my real address, my real email
address
(well, mostly), and the real name of my business -- thus far, with minimal
hassle. Am I being stupid? Dunno -- but I simply can't bring myself to
hide
behind a phony name.

You are just being stupid. Yes.


I *really* enjoy the new Visa commercials, with the guy's voice-over on
the
little old lady -- they're hilarious and really get the point across about
the risks of identity theft. However, they *are* trying to sell a
product,
and (as a result) the cynic in me rises to the fore. I just have to
wonder
if this whole "identity theft" thing isn't a product of Madison Avenue,
once
again trying to fan the flames of our own paranoia, in an effort to sell
us
something?

Kind of like you posting your business url on every post, eh?


Does anyone know a real person who has suffered this fate?

Yes.

Do you know anyone that has been murdered?

dashi
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Well while don't you test it. Start posting your social security number on
this newsgroup and others.

Well, there's stupid, and then there is STUPID. I ain't STUPID. :-)

You are just being stupid. Yes.

Jeez, rough crowd...

again trying to fan the flames of our own paranoia, in an effort to sell
us
something?

Kind of like you posting your business url on every post, eh?

Well, fanning the flames of paranoia in order to sell something of
questionable value, versus posting my aviation themed hotel's URL in posts
made on an aviation newsgroup seem (to me, anyway) to be quite different --
but maybe I'm just being stupid again?

Do you know anyone that has been murdered?

Nope. And if I did, how would this be relevant?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Dashi wrote:

Do you know anyone that has been murdered?

Jay Honeck replied:

Nope. And if I did, how would this be relevant?

I think that Dashi is trying to make a point by analogy. Your not knowing any
murder victims doesn't counter that fact that murders do occur. By parallel,
your not knowing (at the time; see Ben Sego's post) any identity theft victims
doesn't counter the fact that identity theft does occur. It's a weak argument
to an implied statement on your part (I don't know any identity theft victims,
therefore I doubt that identity theft occurs).

Russell Kent

In article , "Dashi"
wrote:

Does anyone know a real person who has suffered this fate?

Yes.

Do you know anyone that has been murdered?

I did. :-(

--
Bob Noel

Dashi wrote:

Do you know anyone that has been murdered?

I did. I knew three murderers, too.

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."

("G.R. Patterson III" wrote)
Do you know anyone that has been murdered?

I did. I knew three murderers, too.


Margene and I do not "personally" know anyone who has been murdered.

However, we did each grow up with someone (read: extended family) who was
convicted of murder.

Other than that, we're good people :-)

--
Montblack
http://lumma.de/mt/archives/bart.gif