The Virginia Watchdog
May 25, 2005 8:18 AM   Subscribe

The Virginia Watchdog "Don't you think if I can get Tom DeLay's Social Security number . . . that some guy in an Internet cafe in Pakistan can, too?" Virginia activist Betty (BJ) Ostergren puts the Social Security numbers of politicians such as Colin Powell, Porter Goss, Jeb Bush and Tom Delay on her website to show how anyone can become a victim of identity theft.
posted by mlis (28 comments total)
 
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


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


I know how to pay for my new car
posted by BushIsForEating at 10:37 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 still some out 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.

Bruce Schneier has more.
posted by allan at 5:05 AM on May 26, 2005


Soon we'll move to thumbprint idents, and crimes of dismemberment will soar!

I guess that would count as digital crime, too, though. <rim shot>
posted by tzikeh at 11:48 AM on May 26, 2005


allan, I think you have a very good point, and I'm suprised I've not heard that argument before.
posted by tiamat at 12:36 PM on May 27, 2005


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