home :: Technology :: Stolen_Lives__T..._Edge.writeback

Tue, 30 May 2006

Stolen Lives: Technology and Easy Credit Give Identity Thieves an Edge

I often wonder why credit card companies send blank checks in plainly marked envelopes to their customers, many of whom are already firewalled on their credit limits anyway. And I wonder how it works for the other victim of the fraud: the merchant who accepts the bogus money. Do the card companies stick them for part of the bill? Are such losses tax deductible?

One in six adults in Arizona had their identities stolen in the last five years, about twice the national rate.

/Technology | 1 writeback | permanent link

writebacks...

On 5/31/2006 05:23:54
Bjorngrimnir wrote

Virtual Identity is a Real Problem

I think this is part of the drawback to the virtual identity created by credit card companies, social security, and other institutions in the world today. It's part of the reason why I stay as far away from it all as possible. I still remember my grandparents...never had a credit card in their lives, methodically ripped to shreds any sort of offer that came to them in the mail, and paid for things in cash or, when cash wouldn't work, they would write a check. They never went with loans - if they had the money for it, they got it, if not, they saved up for it. I try to live my life the same way, and I would suppose that it's even harder in today's virtual society...but the cool thing about where I live is that credit cards are still highly mistrusted.

comment...