On January 1, 2005, California's Shine the Light Act came into effect. For more information about the Act, see the PRC's press release at www.privacyrights.org/ar/SB27Release.htm. In essence, certain businesses must provide California residents with a way to find out what personal information has been shared and with whom within the twelve months prior to receiving your request for disclosure.

 

Marcy attempted to return a shirt at an Express retail store and was given a slip of paper saying the return was denied due to an organization called The Retail Equation. She have never heard of The Retail Equation and was disturbed to find that merchants are maintaining a database of information about consumers’ returns. While she understood the need to combat fraud, she felt this type of database invasive, retaliatory and consumer-unfriendly.

 

Marcy's name has been changed to protect her privacy.

Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003
Docket Id: RIN 3084-AA94

 

Submitted by:

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse Consumers Union Consumer Action Calegislation World Privacy Forum Identity Theft Resource Center PrivacyActivism Consumer Federation of California

 

January 5, 2005

 

“Prerecorded Message EBR Telemarketing”
Project No. R411001

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Telemarketing Sales Rule
RIN 3084-0098

 

Submitted by
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Utility Consumers’ Action Network

 

January 10, 2005

 

Federal Trade Commission
Office of the Secretary, Room H-159 (Annex H)
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20580

 

Filed electronically: https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-tsr

San Diego, CA - "Phishing" emails are sent by scam artists and are disguised to look like they come for a legitimate financial institution or other online vendor such as eBay or PayPal. They are sent to unsuspecting consumers to dupe them into providing personal information such as name, adddress, phone number, credit card number and expiration date and Social Security number (SSN). Often, they couch their request by saying your account will be suspended or canceled if you do not respond within a certain time frame.

Comments Submitted to the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Financial Literacy and Education Commission

 

Department of Treasury
Financial Literacy and Education Commission
Room 5001B
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20220


Via e-mail: flecstrategy@do.treas.gov

 

RE: Financial Literacy and Education Comments

 

To the FLEC Commission:

 

A few years ago a Southern California woman named Michelle Brown contacted the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse seeking help regarding an especially difficult identity theft situation. An identity thief had not only obtained credit using Michelle's Social Security number (SSN) but also used her information when arrested for crimes. The thief obtained information provided by Michelle on a housing application and procured over $50,000 in goods and services including a lease for an apartment, a $32,000 truck, and liposuction. But Michelle's experience as a victim didn't end at credit fraud.