August 22, 2001
9:25 AM Subscribe
To stop the credit bureaus from releasing your personal info without your knowledge, call 888-567-8688. To stop your bank, brokerage firm, credit union, etc., from doing the same, you'll need to send a letter. More info in comments.
Is this the same hoax that was circulating a few weeks ago?
posted by preguicoso at 9:38 AM on August 22, 2001
posted by preguicoso at 9:38 AM on August 22, 2001
I don't know about any hoax (obviously!) but the phone number is real - I called it, and it sounded real enough to me. If you have any info on this not being legitimate please post it! (If it's not legit, I should be able to have some fun with the FBI over interstate fraud with this one.)
posted by JParker at 9:44 AM on August 22, 2001
posted by JParker at 9:44 AM on August 22, 2001
I googled the phone number and it shows up on many financial institutions' web sites as the correct "opt-out" number.
posted by JParker at 9:47 AM on August 22, 2001
posted by JParker at 9:47 AM on August 22, 2001
See: http://www.snopes2.com/inboxer/pending/credit.htm. This email, while not entirely a hoax, is not entirely true either.
Snopes is a great resource for checking this kind of stuff out before forwarding email or posting to weblogs...
posted by Shadowkeeper at 9:49 AM on August 22, 2001
Snopes is a great resource for checking this kind of stuff out before forwarding email or posting to weblogs...
posted by Shadowkeeper at 9:49 AM on August 22, 2001
The phone number listed is actually on most credit card applications. Nobody pays much attention to the legal, though. I just happen to know this because I worked for an agency that did mostly credit card direct mail.
posted by smich at 9:52 AM on August 22, 2001
posted by smich at 9:52 AM on August 22, 2001
Thanks, Shadowkeeper! That's excellent info. I think my original post above is correct, and I would still recommend calling the number, unless you LIKE receiving bushel-baskets of mail with "pre-approved" offers of condo timeshares in Sound Bend or VISA debit cards or mortgage refinancing, etc. I personally don't want anybody accessing my credit info unless I requested credit from them.
posted by JParker at 9:55 AM on August 22, 2001
posted by JParker at 9:55 AM on August 22, 2001
Here's some information from the Federal Trade Commission's website.
posted by Hankins at 10:10 AM on August 22, 2001
posted by Hankins at 10:10 AM on August 22, 2001
Mea culpa. Since the only thing that's changed is that your banks and brokers can now give away your info, and they must have already notified you in writing, the phone number shown above is nothing new.
As partial atonement, I offer the Smithsonian's new interactive web project, History Wired, that lets you browse their collections by theme, by timeline, or both. Please forgive me.
posted by JParker at 10:38 AM on August 22, 2001
As partial atonement, I offer the Smithsonian's new interactive web project, History Wired, that lets you browse their collections by theme, by timeline, or both. Please forgive me.
posted by JParker at 10:38 AM on August 22, 2001
'tis better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.
posted by aramaic at 10:42 AM on August 22, 2001
posted by aramaic at 10:42 AM on August 22, 2001
The hoax a few weeks back dealt with a mythical deadline after which all of your information would be unleashed. This is not the case.
However, the number is real... See here for more...
posted by fooljay at 11:22 AM on August 22, 2001
However, the number is real... See here for more...
posted by fooljay at 11:22 AM on August 22, 2001
JParker -- go post that Smithsonian link on the front page right now, it is way too good to get lost inside a thread about something else.
posted by briank at 11:41 AM on August 22, 2001
posted by briank at 11:41 AM on August 22, 2001
Sorry, the link above doesn't work anymore, dammit.
Please wait while Fooljay Explorer searches for your file...
posted by fooljay at 11:48 AM on August 22, 2001
Please wait while Fooljay Explorer searches for your file...
posted by fooljay at 11:48 AM on August 22, 2001
More good info can be found at http://www.junkbusters.com. I particulary love the reverse-coldcall script at http://www.junkbusters.com/ht/en/script.html! :)
posted by crankydoodle at 6:18 PM on August 22, 2001
posted by crankydoodle at 6:18 PM on August 22, 2001
if you don't want to bother calling the number, you can always just not pay for six months to a year. the junk mail totally stops coming.
posted by sugarfish at 7:51 AM on August 23, 2001
posted by sugarfish at 7:51 AM on August 23, 2001
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posted by JParker at 9:25 AM on August 22, 2001