Slightly OT: What does "some guy in an Internet cafe in Pakistan" have to do with this? Pakistani guys are shorthand for criminals? Terrorists funding their activities through this identity theft? It seems like kind of a gratuitous reference, but maybe I'm just saying that because sometimes I'm some guy in an Internet cafe in Pakistan... posted by buddha9090 at 8:32 AM on May 25, 2005
We must destroy the cafes!! posted by odinsdream at 8:38 AM on May 25, 2005
buddha9090: I think that's kind of like saying "Any Tom, Dick or Harry." She could have said, "Any Pakistani, Israeli, or Canadian." posted by Hugh2d2 at 8:41 AM on May 25, 2005
For those too lazy to read everything on the site:
Jeb Bush: 451-88-4919
His wife: 562-82-0694
Porter Goss: 492-44-9771
Tom Delay: 449-78-1174
Colin Powell: 113-28-4024
His wife: 417-54-4913
And, just for fun, Bill Gates: 539-60-5125 posted by wakko at 8:46 AM on May 25, 2005
Not the Canadians! No, if Canadians get ahold of Social Security numbers, it is all over.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go open some credit card accounts in Tom DeLay's name and then go charge a couple of thousand dollars worth of leather submissive attire for him. But maybe I'll just have them send it to Colin Powell's wife with a note...... posted by fenriq at 9:21 AM on May 25, 2005
wakko...what was the point of posting the ssn's here at MetaFilter? Just curious as to your intent with that... posted by HuronBob at 9:24 AM on May 25, 2005
Nigeria-filter will now, collectively take off the months of June, July and August.
Thank you very much. posted by vhsiv at 9:27 AM on May 25, 2005
Hell, this is nothing!
We can read private emails between Democratic representatives in Congress and nobody gives a damn since the IOKIYARs on Frist's staff stole them! posted by nofundy at 9:29 AM on May 25, 2005
An interesting article on the concept of SSN only identity theft, in which folks use only the SSN of another person to establish credit...
Ya'll go to town with these numbers... probably Gates would be the best to use, don't ya think? posted by HuronBob at 9:29 AM on May 25, 2005
I can just see it: Hi, my name is Bill Gates and I want to buy that pretty little two bedroom bungalow in Watts, that only needs a little fixing up. Can I borrow $150K to buy it and do it up? Here's my SS number so you can check my credit. Thanks posted by donfactor at 10:13 AM on May 25, 2005
Yeah, well, what's MY SSN? Huh? Huh? Didn't think so. posted by WolfDaddy at 10:19 AM on May 25, 2005
That's funny... I thought George Bush was born in Connecticut, but his SSN is from Texas. posted by Jart at 10:42 AM on May 25, 2005
That's probably why they couldn't find his Nat'l Guard papers, Jart. posted by Hugh2d2 at 10:47 AM on May 25, 2005
Oh, yeah, like there are internet cafes in Pakistan. posted by graventy at 11:00 AM on May 25, 2005
Jart:
Back in the day, you didn't need a social security number for your kids to claim them as dependents, so many people did not get one until they got their first job (or needed one for some other purpose). I was born in Virginia but got my SSN here in Texas when I was 16. posted by notbuddha at 11:04 AM on May 25, 2005
Social security numbers are not secrets. posted by Nelson at 11:14 AM on May 25, 2005
Social security numbers are not secrets.
No, but they were not to be used as identification either. posted by Hugh2d2 at 11:22 AM on May 25, 2005
WolfDaddy's SSN is 435-33-1919. He'll deny it, but trust me...that's it.
I know because it's tattooed above my heart. posted by ColdChef at 11:31 AM on May 25, 2005
The intent was to save everybody 5 to 10 minutes. posted by wakko at 11:34 AM on May 25, 2005
Next month's scandal is going to be fantastic.
Porter Goss's new VISA is about to tie him large purchases of hookers and blow. posted by mosch at 12:08 PM on May 25, 2005
Anybody else here old enough to remember when law enforcement and security professionals recommended that we indelibly engrave our SSNs onto our turntables & 35mm cameras? Back then, our tchotchkes were more valuable to us that our identities! Unbelievably, there are stillsomeout there encouraging us to do just that.... posted by squalor at 12:14 PM on May 25, 2005
[raises hand] In fact, I think I still have that camera... guess I'd better not sell it on eBay after all... posted by GrammarMoses at 12:41 PM on May 25, 2005
What does "some guy in an Internet cafe in Pakistan" have to do with this? Pakistani guys are shorthand for criminals?
I thought the same thing. If any nationality should be associated with identity theft/fraud, you'd think it would be the Nigerians. posted by me3dia at 12:48 PM on May 25, 2005
me3dia:
Well i dont know about Pakistan per se. However that realID bill, the abomination that got rammed thru on a military spending bill, is ostensively about 'homeland security' and proving people are who they say they are.
In this light that we cant even keep the current records secure, anything new they decide to put out will be equally open to fraud. Hardly seems worth the effort. posted by MrLint at 12:58 PM on May 25, 2005
buddha9090 writes"What does 'some guy in an Internet cafe in Pakistan' have to do with this? "
There are rumors that marching orders for members of the al-Qaeda organization are disseminated via internet cafes in Pakistan by the foot soldiers of terrorism. Given that everyone agrees that OBL is hiding out in Pakistan (even the Pakistani government agrees) it seems like a fairly logical conclusion. Hence "some guy in an Internet cafe in Pakistan" has a slightly greater chance of having terrorist ties than one in Canada or Brazil. posted by clevershark at 1:50 PM on May 25, 2005
A growing community of geek/wonks have been trying to get people to stop using the term "identity theft". It's NOT your identity. The notion of theft is a two-party transaction: the thief and the victim.
The misuse of identifiers is not a new crime. It's a very old one: impersonation. Some one is pretending to be me.
The distinction isn't just for pedantic nerds: the perception of the crime shapes the solution space. The way to stop "theft" is for the victim to protect him/herself. The way to stop impersonation is for the authenticating institution to get a frickin' clue.
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posted by buddha9090 at 8:32 AM on May 25, 2005