sometimes mysteries do get solved
Look, I'm still here! For given values of here, anyway -- I'm in the final stretch of the semester's paper and project set, and after that I expect to actually have time to answer emails, phone calls, meme comments, so forth and so on.
In addition to papers and a holiday party with friends last night, it's been a very choir-intensive weekend. It was so worth it, though -- the Messiah concert tonight went very well, and that's a lovely thing.
Finally, the reason for the subject line: some of you may remember that back in July 2004, I had my identity stolen. I was more than a little confused and annoyed about it at the time, since I take more-than-standard-care with document security and the like in order to avoid such things.
Turns out it wasn't my fault. Seems there's a data mining company that exercises unscrupulous collection and sales practices, and that said company didn't verify their clientele, among other things. How do I know this? The company in question ended up being investigated by the FTC for their practices and in the process had to reveal that they "sold information about many consumers to people who turned out to be identity thieves," and as a result had to reach a settlement and pay $$$ in penalties and reimbursements to the consumers in question.
The letter from the FTC that's lying on my desk right now confirms that I was one of them.
At least I know what happened, now. And you can bet that I'll be filing this convenient claim form. Oh yes. Kudos to the FTC, and I hope the data mining company loses its proverbial shirt.
That's about it. Back to papers.
In addition to papers and a holiday party with friends last night, it's been a very choir-intensive weekend. It was so worth it, though -- the Messiah concert tonight went very well, and that's a lovely thing.
Finally, the reason for the subject line: some of you may remember that back in July 2004, I had my identity stolen. I was more than a little confused and annoyed about it at the time, since I take more-than-standard-care with document security and the like in order to avoid such things.
Turns out it wasn't my fault. Seems there's a data mining company that exercises unscrupulous collection and sales practices, and that said company didn't verify their clientele, among other things. How do I know this? The company in question ended up being investigated by the FTC for their practices and in the process had to reveal that they "sold information about many consumers to people who turned out to be identity thieves," and as a result had to reach a settlement and pay $$$ in penalties and reimbursements to the consumers in question.
The letter from the FTC that's lying on my desk right now confirms that I was one of them.
At least I know what happened, now. And you can bet that I'll be filing this convenient claim form. Oh yes. Kudos to the FTC, and I hope the data mining company loses its proverbial shirt.
That's about it. Back to papers.