SSN sales on Internet..

Post by **haas mark** » 2003-08-28 04:23pm

Social Security numbers sold on Web
Group buys data on top U.S. officials to underscore need for tougher laws

Thursday, August 28, 2003 Posted: 1:48 PM EDT (1748 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Almost everything is for sale on the Internet -- even the Social Security numbers of top government officials like CIA Director George Tenet and Attorney General John Ashcroft, consumer advocates warned Wednesday.

The California-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights said for $26 each it was able to purchase the Social Security numbers and home addresses for Tenet, Ashcroft and other top Bush administration officials, including Karl Rove, the president's chief political adviser.

That illustrates the need for stronger protections of personal information, the group said.
Concerned about bill

Specifically, the foundation is concerned about legislation in the House that would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The bill, sponsored by Reps. Spencer Bachus, R-Alabama, Darlene Hooley, D-Oregon, and dozens of other members, aims to prevent identity theft and improve the accuracy of consumer records, among other things.

While backing the overall goals of the bill, the group's executive director, Jamie Court, objected to a portion of it that would continue a current pre-emption of tougher state privacy laws.

California Gov. Gray Davis signed such legislation Wednesday, which allows consumers to block companies from sharing personal information with affiliate businesses.

"Banks and insurers should not be able to go to Washington as an end-run around the most protective state privacy laws," Court said.

The Bush administration has urged Congress to act quickly to strengthen the nation's credit laws and has praised the House bill. It is expected to come up for a vote in the first few weeks after lawmakers return from their August recess.

A spokesman for Bachus, Evan Keefer, said the legislation has important new provisions that will be tough on fraud. He said the issue raised by the foundation is something lawmakers would look at in conference, after votes in the House and Senate.
National law proposed

The foundation wants to see a strong national law on credit reporting, but Court said that should not preclude states from passing even stronger privacy protections.

He said stopping trafficking of information among corporate affiliates is key because some companies have hundreds of businesses under the family umbrella. For example, a banking corporation might have a number of insurance, securities and real estate affiliates it does business with and financial data might be swapped among all.

"If you cannot stop the traffic in your information among corporate affiliates, you don't have privacy in this nation," Court said.
Easy to get

In addition to Social Security numbers, Court said some online sites will give out a person's bank account balance for about $300.

Beth Givens, director of Privacy Rights Clearinghouse based in San Diego, said there are at least a dozen sites that provide social security numbers and other private data.

"If you're willing to spend a little money, you can get this type of information very easily on the Internet," said Givens.

~ver

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-08-28 05:34pm

WHAT THE FUCK?!?

Well, normally I'd make a crack about buying Asscroft's SSN, or maybe Bush's, but this is just disgusting. Fuck these identity thieves, they've committed (in my eyes) probably the worst possible crime they could.

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2003-08-28 05:37pm

Damn. Who else thought this was about buying some nuclear subs on Ebay?

Cpt_Frank · Post by **Cpt_Frank** » 2003-08-28 06:07pm

Good, so I'm not the only one who thought of that.

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-08-28 06:12pm

Notice how y'all have those heavy armor sigs, and we don't...

Post by **RogueIce** » 2003-08-28 07:56pm

Vorlon1701 wrote:Notice how y'all have those heavy armor sigs, and we don't...

Well, my first thought was of a sub too.

But then, I got the Navy avatar.

Jadeite · Post by **Jadeite** » 2003-08-28 08:05pm

I also thought of a nuclear sub.

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2003-08-28 08:09pm

I came to his thread expecting to hear about a nuclear powered submarine being offered for sale on the net, only to find that SSN in this instance isn't an acronym for Sub Surface Nuclear Submarine, but for Social Security Number.

Damn you Verilon for using missleading acronyms and getting people all exited!

Raxmei · Post by **Raxmei** » 2003-08-28 08:10pm

I also thought nuclear sub. Oh, some they caught some British guy trying to sell attack subs to terrorists for sinking American cruise ships. Oh, no, it's just some identity theft stuff.

Raptor 597 · Post by **Raptor 597** » 2003-08-28 09:13pm

I was thinking about the shipping prices overland of a sub, damn hehe

Darth Yoshi · Post by **Darth Yoshi** » 2003-08-28 09:57pm

That's despicable. Selling SSNs like that.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-08-28 10:07pm

I think it illustrates their point very nicely.

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-08-29 12:55am

Damn all you warlike people!

And yeah, I was wondering why SSN sounded so familiar...

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-08-29 06:39am

Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:Damn. Who else thought this was about buying some nuclear subs on Ebay?

Me. Next time, use social security number, not SSN.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-08-29 08:51am

Vympel wrote:
Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:Damn. Who else thought this was about buying some nuclear subs on Ebay?
Me. Next time, use social security number, not SSN.

I think the Russians probably wish they could get rid of all those rusting old SSN's so easily as by selling them online.

"Yes, its in good condition (sort of floating) with full power (via extension cord) and is well capable of diving to her test depth (its the coming back up part that's the issue)

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-08-29 09:54am

Hey, it's a nuke sub. I'd patch it up

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-08-29 11:23am

Vorlon1701 wrote:Hey, it's a nuke sub. I'd patch it up

You know the radiation levels on early Soviet nuclear subs where so high admirals where not allowed onboard for there own safety. And that was when they where brand new.

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-08-29 11:38am

Sea Skimmer wrote:
Vorlon1701 wrote:Hey, it's a nuke sub. I'd patch it up
You know the radiation levels on early Soviet nuclear subs where so high admirals where not allowed onboard for there own safety. And that was when they where brand new.

Thanks for ruining my fantasy. Spoilsport.

Cpt_Frank · Post by **Cpt_Frank** » 2003-08-29 12:06pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:
Vorlon1701 wrote:Hey, it's a nuke sub. I'd patch it up
You know the radiation levels on early Soviet nuclear subs where so high admirals where not allowed onboard for there own safety. And that was when they where brand new.

I don't think they had this problem on the more recent boats. (Bars class etc)

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2003-08-29 01:20pm

Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:Damn. Who else thought this was about buying some nuclear subs on Ebay?

That was my inital thought when I glanced at the thread title.

darthdavid · Post by **darthdavid** » 2003-08-29 04:16pm

Me aswell.

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-08-29 06:26pm

Cpt_Frank wrote:
Sea Skimmer wrote:
Vorlon1701 wrote:Hey, it's a nuke sub. I'd patch it up
You know the radiation levels on early Soviet nuclear subs where so high admirals where not allowed onboard for there own safety. And that was when they where brand new.
I don't think they had this problem on the more recent boats. (Bars class etc)

I thought Russia had no money for a Navy or Army...

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-08-29 07:29pm

Cpt_Frank wrote:
I don't think they had this problem on the more recent boats. (Bars class etc)

You're quite right, all they're recent and decent subs had sufficient radiation shielding, but those are also the boats the Russians want to keep. It's there first classes, Hotel's, Echo's, Novembers and the early Victor's that are former seagoing nightlights now rusting in port.

I thought Russia had no money for a Navy or Army...

There economy had really bounced back since its worst days in 1998, they still need a lot more money but the problems with troops not being paid and fed are mostly gone. But they still have a huge issue with nuclear waste. Currently they have one reprocessing planet handling it all (that's better then the US which has none) but the shear volumes of material to process will take something like 200 years at the current rate and even after you reprocess nuclear fuel you still need to bury some of it. Plus you need to deal with all the radioactive steel from the sub's hulls. A lot of its simply going to have to be entombed in huge piles of concrete. That takes alot of time and money and meanwhiles some of there old nuclear subs have rusted to the point of sinking at there piers.

LordShaithis · Post by **LordShaithis** » 2003-08-30 12:27am

All I want is an aircraft carrier. Just a little one. A harrier-carrier or, if any are still floating, one of those old WW2 light carriers they converted. Maybe that little Thai carrier, the one they can't afford to crew. I'd take it off their hands, hire me a crew, and make it my kickass houseboat.... *sighs*

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-08-30 03:11am

Vorlon1701 wrote: I thought Russia had no money for a Navy or Army...

Exaggeration. They don't have enough, but as Skimmer says things have gotten significantly better. As if on cue, for example, in the Pacific a few days ago the Russians held the biggest joint military exercise since the fall of the USSR- 70,000 troops, 60 warships, 70 planes and aircraft (including Tu-160 strategic bombers, which are now operating in the Pacific region- probably a watch your fucking mouth to North Korea).