The most recent total from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse’s Chronology of Data Breaches shows more than a half billion sensitive records breached since 2005, leaving Americans vulnerable to identity theft.

Employees losing laptop computers, hackers downloading credit card numbers and sensitive personal data accidentally exposed online -- the Chronology of Data Breaches shows hundreds of ways that the personal information of consumers is lost, stolen or exposed.

Computers Freedom and Privacy Conference
June 15, 2010, San Jose State University

 

Panelists:

Joanne McNabb, moderator, Chief, California Office of Privacy Protection (see her panel introduction)
*Beth Givens, Director, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Pam Dixon, Executive Director, World Privacy Forum
Jim Adler, Chief Privacy Officer, Intelius Inc.
Les Rosen, President, Employment Screening Resources

 

While websites like Facebook and MySpace make it easy to share vacation photos with old classmates, the personal information on social networks is also attracting people besides friends and family members.  Scam artists, identity thieves, debt collectors, stalkers, hiring managers, and companies looking for a marketing advantage are turning to social networking sites to gather valuable information.

If you’re losing sleep over bad credit, ads promising a quick fix can seem like a dream come true. But, hook up with the wrong company and your dreams of clean credit can quickly turn into a living nightmare.

 

While the economy has faltered in recent years credit repair companies have flourished. As is often the case, hard times for consumers create opportunities for scammers. An unscrupulous credit repair company may collect upfront fees, may make you pay for things you can get for free or may even persuade you to break the law.

 

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

 

April 14, 2010


Submitted to the Federal Trade Commission
Privacy Roundtables - Comment, Project No. P095416

 

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) appreciates the opportunity to submit the following comments on the employment background check process to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as part of the agency’s deliberations for the Privacy Roundtables series. The PRC is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization based in San Diego, California, and established in 1992.

 

Submitted to the Federal Trade Commission
Privacy Roundtables - Comment, Project No. P095416

 

April 14, 2010

 

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) appreciates the opportunity to submit the following comments on the online information broker industry to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as part of the agency’s deliberations for the Privacy Roundtables series. The PRC is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization based in San Diego, California, and established in 1992.