I Owe Who How Much???

Session 3:

I was able to relate to this week’s discussion thread topic on the abundance of personal information made available on the internet.  The internet has made it easier now than ever before for anyone to dig up information about anyone with a simple click of a mouse.  Multitudes of websites provide outlets to such information, from social networks like www.facebook.com to people search engines like www.spokeo.com.  No major effort is required on behalf of the person looking for information, as he or she could be clicking away while wearing their pajamas in the comfort of their own home at anytime of the day.  I was surprised to see what information that came up when I searched my name on the Spokeo website.  Though not all of the information posted on the website was correct, I was still unhappy about all the information conveniently linked to my name, as it's an invasion of my privacy.  I opted to have my profile removed from future searches via the Privacy feature at the bottom of the page.  I don’t appreciate having complete strangers know so much personal detail about my life and I especially don’t appreciate having a bird’s eye view of where I live on display for everyone to see. 

I have been a victim of identity theft not once, but twice, and I believe that the free range of information out there on the internet about anyone and everyone is to blame.  It makes it easier for crooks to access the information needed to steal identities for monetary gain.  My first identity theft experience consisted of a couple in Florida who were able to use my personal identification information to apply for a Walmart credit card and used it to purchase a ridiculous amount of stuff.  Of course I didn’t know about the charges until after the charges have been forwarded to a collection agency.  Boy was I surprised to find out that I owed over $900 for items purchased at a Walmart in Florida.  That’s funny, because at the time, I hadn’t even been to Florida.  In fact, the furthest south I’d been at the time was Richmond, VA for school (I live in Alexandria, VA).  My second experience was when I noticed a $70 Office Max charge on my credit card statement a few months ago.  I don't even have an Office Max store located within a 50 mile proximity of where I live.  I called Office Max to inquire about the charge and it turns out that I apparently purchased a check writer via telephone catalog order and had it shipped to Mississippi.  What would I even do with a check writer...and I don't even know a single soul who live in Mississippi.  Ugh.  I managed to straighten it all out in the end of both instances, but it required for me to make a lot of phone calls and wasted a lot of time being put on hold.  It sure wasn’t a stroll in the park on a sunny day.