The privacy of Rewards member e-mail addresses? (Revisited)

[ron_newman]

On April 23, someone posted a link to a public Brierley.com website where anyone could look up any Borders Rewards member by Rewards card number, e-mail address, or phone number (last 7 digits only

Comments

I still think a class action suit is appropriate

[anonymous]

I personally entered hundreds of emails and assured folks of their security.

When I discovered the link last year and reported it, I was horrifed by the dead silence from corporate.
The site was down after I went public but yes it is now back and I am stunned by this.
If someone wants to find a lawyer, I have all of my correspondence with borders and open mike.

Underperformer.

Re: I still think a class action suit is appropriate

[anonymous]

I think you'd need to be able to prove there was some kind of damage done to file a suit.

I sent a message directly to Brierly (www.brierly.com) to let them know about the breach. They might wonder who Pidgie Scoot is, but maybe they'll do something about it.

Re: I still think a class action suit is appropriate

[anonymous]

You need to prove damages to actually win any money in a suit. You don't need to prove anything to file a suit. You just need to file it and pay the fee.

But, at the risk of asking a stupid question, what's the point? The bankruptcy court has broad powers to modify existing agreements. If they order a sale of the website and it's "assets" (e.g. email addresses) to another party, then it's a done deal and you have no suit and no basis to win one if you are stupid enough to file it.

Further, who would sue? Borders? Last time I check that had over $1 billion in debt and are going out of business. You can't sue whoever buys it because they'll own an asset essentially conveyed to them by a judge without any strings attached.

Talk of a law suit or class action suit is just plain stupid.

Re: I still think a class action suit is appropriate

[ron_newman]

I really doubt that the bankruptcy court ordered Borders or Brierley to make that lookup website publicly available. Perhaps Brierley would be the appropriate target of a lawsuit if someone actually filed one. Having this database open to the public seems like an act of negligence.

Re: I still think a class action suit is appropriate

[ron_newman]

Thank you. Looks like your e-mail made a difference. (Did you get a reply?)

Re: I still think a class action suit is appropriate

[anonymous]

I didn't get a reply because I used the name Pidgie Scoot (I ope Pidgie isn't a real person), a fake e-mail and the phone number 867-5309. I'd rather they not know who I am, even if I was trying to do the right thing. I hoped that they'd look in to it, even with obviously false contact info.

I saw on their website that Brierly manages the rewards cards for a couple dozen companies. I hope their security isn't as poor across the board.

Re: Email privacy

[anonymous]

Crap. I entered thousands of email addresses, and assured people their info would be confidential and private.

Way to screw up your own bankruptcy, AA.