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Experian, Ford, and Identity Theft

Posted by michael on from the run-over-by-the-canyonero dept.

corebreech writes "The mighty New York Times (I think they might want you to register) is reporting that hackers posing as Ford employees have managed to pilfer some 13,000 credit reports (Quality is Job 1.) Supposedly the info isn't restricted to merely credit card numbers, but rather includes such delectable delights as address, SSN, bank account info and creditworthiness. Glad I take the subway." The original story was from the Boston Globe.

6 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. I'd be happy... by jedrek · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In the land of the great lawsuit, which is America at the turn of the millenium, I'd be more than happy to have Ford leak my info. In a flash I'd have a family member sell of my identity to someone (or have a good friend assume my identity) and rock my credit record for all it's worth.

    Then I'd just sue Ford for lossing my info. They've already admited to doing it, so there's pretty much no burden of proof. Corporate neglegence should be pretty easy to prove.

    That sound you hear is lawyers sharpening their claws.

  2. He got it wrong by tshoppa · · Score: 5, Insightful
    From the NYT:
    It just shows that today, even big companies can be victimized
    No, it shows that every once in a while that the big companies will publicize that their security has been compromised. Of course, we all know that for every such case that makes the New York Times, there are thousands where they don't. And for every one of those, there are ten where the news of the security breach never leaves the company. And for every one of those there are probably a hundred where nobody at the company knows that they have gaping security holes.
  3. They didn't just crack Ford owners by awharnly · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Read the article again. They didn't just steal the personal financial information of Ford owners.

    Only 400 of the 13,000 victims were customers of Ford Credit, he said.

    They just pretended to be Ford so that they could access the credit reports of thousands of people. Subway-riders included.

  4. Identity theft insurance by mister+sticky · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Van Leeuwen of Ford said he thought the company had done everything it could to help the individuals affected by the security breach, and didn't plan to offer them any financial assistance.

    Clearing up the mess created by identity theft can take significant time and money. Victims often lose access to credit. Some end up in jail. Several insurance companies now sell coverage offering financial and legal protection in such cases.

    It seems to make sense (well, to me at least) that the corporations charged with the information of your identity should be forced to have this identity insurance. Sure people could get it, so if they gave up their identities by accident (people going through their trash) they would be covered.
    However, corporations like Ford saying "oops, sorry! but i'm not paying for our mistake" is unacceptable. They should be required by law to have identity theft insurance, and reimburse those who's identity has been stolen through the identity insurance.
  5. The bad news though, by w.p.richardson · · Score: 5, Insightful
    If you can't document that you have been a victim of identity theft (or a similar type of crime), then you have to shell out about $10 per report. Thats $30 per year, simply to make sure someone isn't screwing you over. This seems ridiculous to me.

    These credit bureaus have too much centralized data on citizens. They are a one stop shop for crooks, be they crackers or whatever.

    --

    Curb CO2 emissions: Kill yourself today!

  6. Re:Just goes to show by sphealey · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Oh, and one last thing - never give anyone your social security number. Or your mother's maiden name.
    Social Security Numbers are public records. They are not, and never were intended to be, secret. If any organization builds a system which depends on keeping the SSN "secret" for security, it is incompetent (and possibly criminally neglegant), but if you depend on your SSN being secret for anything you are being foolish.

    Mother's maiden names are similarly public records. In practice they have been harder to track down in the past, but wiht various records including those of the Mormon church coming on-line that information is not fully accessible as well. See first paragraph for implications.

    sPh