Submitted to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for FACTA
Fair Credit Reporting Proposed Rulemaking
Submitted May 24, 2004
by the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
3100 - 5th Ave., Suite B, San Diego, CA 92103
www.privacyrights.org
By Beth Givens, Director
Presentation at Conference of the National Association for Information Destruction
San Diego, CA
Good morning. It is a pleasure to speak to you today. I commend you on being active members of NAID, and for the positive contributions you are making to privacy protection.
I have been listening to consumers' complaints for 12 years now. In what I call our "Dear Abby" role, we invite individuals to phone and email us with their questions and complaints about privacy matters.
The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) advocates that the wireless 411 directory that is slated to be launched in early 2005 provide a strict opt-in mechanism that requires express consent before cell phone numbers are listed in the directory. The PRC also believes that federal legislation should be strengthened to ensure this standard is met.
April 16, 2004
Federal Trade Commission
FACTA Free Reports
Post Office Box 1031
Merrified, VA 22116-1031
Electronic Filing: www.regulations.gov
RE: FACTA Free File Disclosures Proposed Rule, Matter No. R411005
To the Commission:
John had been regularly denied employment due to poor credit stemming from a stroke. During a recent job interview, he spoke very candidly about his financial position—making them aware that he suffered a stroke and lost his job as a result. He had also explained the situation in depth on his initial application. He was notified that his employment was denied due to information contained in a TransUnion credit report.
John's name has been changed to protect his privacy.
San Diego, CA, April 6, 2004 (Updated April 19) -- The World Privacy Forum and 30 other privacy and civil liberties organizations have written a letter [inserted below] calling upon Google to suspend its Gmail service until the privacy issues are adequately addressed. The letter also calls upon Google to clarify its written information policies regarding data retention and data sharing among its business units.
[The following is a letter to the editor of the North County Times by PRC Director Beth Givens regarding an editorial that ran on March 30, 2004.]
April 2, 2004
Sent By Fax: 760-745-3769
Editor
Letters to the Editor
North County Times
207 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Escondido CA 92025
Dear Editor,
Comments Submitted by:
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.
Consumer Action
Identity Theft Resource Center
World Privacy Forum
PrivacyActivism
Submitted to:
Testimony of Beth Givens, Director
Legislative Hearing: Outsourcing California: Our Jobs and Privacy at Risk
Senator Liz Figueroa, Chair
California Senate Business and Professions Committee
California Senate Select Committee on International Trade Policy and State Legislation
Posted: March 2004
Updated June 2009
By Beth Givens, Director
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Most guides on preventing identity theft focus on steps consumers can take, such as shredding their trash and protecting their SSN. But realistically, while these steps reduce the risk of becoming a victim, there is little individuals can do to actually prevent identity theft.