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From / Date: |
Question / Answer: |
| 7711. |
Jack
Bronx, NY
Age: 44
Jun 16, 2010
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Issues with renewing my P.O. Box
Hi Zolton
Yes its not just you. I too also have a PO Box at the main post office in the Bronx. Upon not filling out the updated information card, they returned all of my mail back to the senders !
So there you go, its just not you. Sorry JJ, but I don't believe just by sending it in the mail(payment) would have yielded a different outcome.
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| 7710. |
Sebastian
Knoxville, TN
Age: 60
Jun 16, 2010
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Accuracy of information
I googled my name and found several hits. Since I have written several reviews and articles that have been published, finding those didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was the fact that published works were credited to me that I had not written.
The biggest surprise was my information on a site that you have to deliberately list family information. The only person who could have done it was my brother. However, there was a listing for another brother, who does not and has never existed.
If you want to insure your privacy, make sure that your family is on the same page.
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| 7709. |
TJ
Portland OR
Age: 46
Jun 16, 2010
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Same name as me
Recently someone posted a link to the spokeo website and I took that opportunity to look up my name (yes, my real name) and it was quite an eye opener. In doing this I discovered that there are 166 people with my name and of those there are 26 with my EXACT first, middle, last name. Of these there are 3 that are of a similar age. One of those three lives in FL which is very far from me. Without harming this person, might I have an opportunity to "confuse" the identies of myself and this other individual? I could "move" to the same large city they live in. Again, I do not want to use this person's identity per se, but it might be advantageous to "live" in the same city. Ideas, concerns??
...
Sure, go for it. Just be sure to use different addresses and slightly different ages.
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| 7708. |
Zolton
Chicago, IL
Age: 38
Jun 15, 2010
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Issues with renewing my P.O. Box
I've had the same suburban Cook County P.O. Box, very close to public transportation for 10 years. Have always renewed the box for 12 months, just showing up with the renewal notice they place in the box during the last month of the paid term and paying cash, getting my receipt. Several months ago, this Post Office started placing form notices requesting updated boxholder information in my box, which I always tossed out.
Last Friday, when I paid for another 12 months, the clerk taking my money, processing my payment, stopped to ask another clerk if I should fill out another P.O. Box application; the 2nd. clerk said YES. This is something I've not done since I first rented the box 10 years ago. As I only ride the buses and trains around here, I only carry a state-ID card, a VISA credit card and $100 in 10's, when running errands close to home. Although I live in the city of Chicago, I've always had my P.O. Boxes in the suburbs, close to a transportation line. So this clerk processing my payment asks as a matter of routine for 2 pieces of I.D. I show him my State of Illinois I.D. card and my VISA card. He asks if I don't have a drivers license to which I tell him I only take public transit. He asks the 2nd. clerk if my State I.D. and the Visa card were sufficient. I interrupt them reminding them I've been a boxholder customer at this post office for 10 years and all the information is same. The 2nd. clerk tells me they'd allow my renewal this time, but they may have to verify my physical address I listed on the "application form". That address is an apartment building my cousin owns, so I sometimes have mail sent there in my name for him to pick up. Oh, this clerk also wanted my phone number, so I gave him a local voicemail number I rent for $5/month.
What's going on in the Chicagoland area? Any readers near here having similar problems with renewing their P.O. Boxes in Cook County?
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When renewing box rent, I always MAIL it in. That way no clerk can start asking questions that I do not wish to answer.
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| 7707. |
Sandy
St. George, UT
Age: 30
Jun 15, 2010
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Birth
I had a question that does not seem to be covered in your books or in any place on this web forum. I am wondering how to keep my privacy when having/giving birth to a child in a hospital. They seem to request all kinds of information from you...any suggestions???
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I know of no good way to keep a birth private unless you go to another country. However, don't reveal your true home address.
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| 7706. |
Frank
Appleton WI
Age: 38
Jun 15, 2010
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Hiding out
This probably couldn't happen again in the US
Submitted Link #1: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_wedding_chapel_fugit...
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| 7705. |
Brad
Woodstock, IL
Age: 26
Jun 15, 2010
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Public Records
Here is a quote from a Mr. Tim Adams, a former state official of Hawaii:
"I had direct access to the Social Security database, the national crime computer, state driver's license information, international passport information, basically just about anything you can imagine to get someone's identity," Adams explained. "I could look up what bank your home mortgage was in..."
Herein lies the wisdom of JJ and other privacy seeking individuals. Yet, it also shows how vulnerable we all are, since even our personal identifications are visible to people in the know. Our DL and Passports are "hidden in plain sight."
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| 7704. |
Dae
San Jose, CA
Age: 30
Jun 14, 2010
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Private Data Collection Agencies
While applying for employment at major corporations (Fortune 100) I have come to notice that they require you provide them "full and total disclosure" of basically every element of your life. They require 7 years of residential history, educational and employment dates. This information is then "captured" and transferred to a private data "verification" company. If you do not provide the accurate or full information you can be subject to termination or refusal to hire.
This trend is increasingly worrying, that your information is transferred into private companies, with no way to remove or control the information. The questions become ever more detailed and intrusive. the problem here is obviously if you refrain from going into many databases, the full disclosure policies will in effect counter act your privacy measures that you have taken. For example if you have successfully never used a home address in any database, well upon your employment application you are now registered with your home address.
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The only answer is to work for yourself.
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| 7702. |
Jay
San Antonio, Tx
Age: 37
Jun 14, 2010
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Remove Personal Information from the Internet
JJ,
Below is a link to an article that contains MANY links to the privacy opt-out procedures of Internet Data Brokers, Search Engines, etc.
I havent tried all of them, but the few that I've investigated seem legitimate. On some of them however, the cure may be more deadly than the disease (requesting you to fax your drivers license to them, etc).
Worth a look at least and your readers can make up their minds if they wish to opt-out or not.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/how-to-remov...
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| 7697. |
Drake
LA, CA
Age: 35
Jun 11, 2010
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7695 - FERPA Violations
The registrar of this institution circulated a bullet-point list of actions for the faculty to avoid that might lead to FERPA violations.
When humans are involved, there will be weak points and leaks though.
Submitted Link #1: http://www.radford.edu/registra/web_2009/portal/FE...
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| 7696. |
Andie
New York, NY
Age: 66
Jun 11, 2010
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Privacy VS Piracy of your information
Which states have the best privacy laws in general and which have the worst?
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New York is the worst. Not sure of the best although I favor Washington and Alaska. And maybe South Dakota.
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| 7695. |
andie
New York City, NY
Age: 66
Jun 11, 2010
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College
While on vacation to NY, I noticed my grandson enrolling in a university. He requested his FERPA records to remain private to the views of others. Although this provides some limited protection, he was wondering how easy it is for P.I. types to gain access to educational records, per the 1974 FERPA act (this excluding the possibility of an inside person and a P.I. or other nosey person having to go through the proper channels)????
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| 7694. |
Jay
San Antonio, Tx
Age: 37
Jun 11, 2010
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Be prepared to show ID more
The FTC will soon begin enforcing a law requiring more American businesses to ask for ID to "stop identity theft".
According to the article, this is applicable to companies who perform a service then bill you later (cell phone, utilities, etc).
Yet another reason to follow JJ's advice and pay cash up front or provide a deposit.
Enjoy,
Jay
Submitted Link #1: http://consumerist.com/2010/06/got-id-is-a-questio...
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| 7693. |
Orson
Cambridge UK
Age: 44
Jun 11, 2010
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Government Criminality
Following months of indecision and deliberation, the German government has announced its decision to jointly purchase with the federal state of Lower Saxony a stolen tax data disc, containing the names and details of more than 20,000 Germans alleged to have evaded taxes in Switzerland.
Initially offered to the German state of Baden-Württemberg back in February, the controversial disc, purchased for EUR185,000 (negotiated down from EUR500,000), is now in the hands of tax investigators.
Bowing to pressure from the Free Democratic Party and given unresolved legal concerns, Baden-Württemberg’s state government elected not to purchase the disc at the time. With an about-turn now, however, the state government is eager to make full use of the data contained on the disc.
Perhaps the next move will be to have our governments purchase stolen cars. This would reduce the spending on vehicles for elected members use while having the added benefit of lowering the cost and workload of customs officers opening and examining containers at the dockside ;-)
Submitted Link #1: http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/Tax-cheat_dat...
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| 7692. |
William
Queens, NY
Age: 36
Jun 10, 2010
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structuring cash transactions - legality
"Michael Donnell Bond, 36, of Brooklyn, N.Y., pleaded guilty last week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joan G. Margolis in New Haven to one count of structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements."
"Bond is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Ellen Bree Burns on Aug. 3, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000."
"Federal law requires all financial institutions to file a Currency Transaction Report for currency transactions that exceed $10,000. To evade the filing of a CTR, individuals will often structure their currency transactions so that no single transaction exceeds $10,000. Structuring involves the repeated depositing of amounts of cash less than the $10,000 limit, or the splitting of a cash transaction that exceeds $10,000 into smaller cash transactions in an effort to avoid the reporting requirements. Even if the deposited funds are derived from a legitimate means, financial transactions conducted in this manner are still in violation of federal criminal law."
"Bond has admitted that he knew that banks were required to issue a report for a transaction in excess of $10,000, and that he purposely kept the cash deposits in amounts at or below $10,000 because he did not want the banks to complete the required reporting forms, and did not want people inquiring about the source of the cash."
"On April 26, 2007, Person A was successful at the Foxwoods Resort Casino and cashed out approximately $121,300 in U.S. currency."
"Person A gave the $121,300 in U.S. currency to Bond, who told Person A he would deposit it into the bank for him."
"On April 27 and April 30, 2007, Bond structured $79,100 of the cash he received by making eight deposits in amounts ranging from $9,500 to $10,000 into Person A’s account at various branches of Citizen’s Bank in Durham, Middletown and Cromwell. Also, on April 30, 2007, Bond structured additional cash deposits in amounts less than $10,000 into his personal bank account at Washington Mutual Bank in Brooklyn, N.Y.,"
JJ Luna mentions structuring. This example shows how serious this law is.
Highrollers at a casina will draw attention to themselves...
Submitted Link #1: http://www.middletownpress.com/articles/2010/05/17...
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| 7690. |
Alejandro
San Diego, California
Age: 50
Jun 10, 2010
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Business Card
How does one stay "invisible" yet keep doing business with the other entrepreneurs, contacts and possibly network without a business card to validate one's contact info?
...
Some persons might use another name for business. (I don't understand your reference to "business card," in this context.)
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| 7689. |
Hu
Ayutthaya, Thailand
Age: 55
Jun 9, 2010
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Self Employment
For those who are wondering what to do to work for yourself, here is a 9 year old who is selling pencil toppers and other things on her website. Here is the link to the article about her.
Submitted Link #1: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2010/06/04/hannah-alt...
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| 7688. |
Seth
collbran, co
Age: 50
Jun 9, 2010
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Anonymous debit cards
"Has anyone ever tried these, or are they all a scam? they are usually offshore and let you put one's name in a business name or no name at all."
If you open an off-shore bank account, you are required by federal law to report it to the IRS. It's an anti-money laundering law, and the IRS is vigorously pursuing and prosecuting people who fail to declare foreign bank accounts.
The government tried hard to get UBS to roll over and release it's "confidential" Swiss bank accounts (which they got a list of from an informant), and the Swiss government just recently declined to cooperate with the IRS.
Be aware of the law before you get involved in opening off-shore anonymous accounts.
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| 7686. |
leonard
columbia, sc
Age: 36
Jun 9, 2010
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Anonymous debit cards
Has anyone ever tried these, or are they all a scam? they are usually offshore and let you put one's name in a business name or no name at all.
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| 7685. |
Maria
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Age: 35
Jun 8, 2010
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Your Information Exposed
In the LA Times (see link below) today there was an article about a company called Spokeo that divulges multiple aspects of your life online for the whole world to see. This doesn't just include your name and address, but also other sensitive information like your race, wealth, income, zodiac sign, neighborhood, etc. This is truly scary!!
As you'll see in the article, the founder of this company opted out so his information is not exposed like the rest of us. If you read it carefully, the very reason he gives for exposing everyone's information is the reason that he used to OPT OUT and NOT have his information exposed!! What a hypocrite!!
And to top it off, he charges a FEE to get your information removed. I'm sure he didn't have to worry about that!!
Privacy watchdogs indicate that it's not illegal; however, if people utilize this information for illegal purposes, then that's another matter.
What can we do to fix this? What methods are you using to put out misinformation so your real identity is not exposed?
Submitted Link #1: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fiw-lazarus-201...
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There is no true fix, other than moving.
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