Stolen blood bank laptop found
p2pnet.net News:- A Delta Blood Bank notebook with thousands of donor names and SS numbers on its database was stolen in Tracy, California, sparking fears of posible identity theft.
However, a reward offer and hundreds of posters distributed in Tracy resulted in its recovery, says the blood bank, also saying the laptop is currently undergoing tests to determine if the file containing donor information was accessed.
"Delta Blood Bank has changed our process for mobile operations and has heightened security measures," it says, adding:
"Use of Social Security numbers for registration is now optional."
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See:-
identify theft – Notebook Theft, Delta, December 22, 2004
December 23rd, 2004 at 6:34 pm
The use of social security numbers for anything confidential is just stupid.
SS numbers are used to verify credit cards, bank accounts, even online banking user names, etc. However, this info is so easy to come across this practice is rediculous.
For instance, my medical insurance number is printed on almost all my correspondance with the insurance company. This number is my Social with a few letters in front. Just think how many times you’re had to give your social over the phone to complete strangers. All someone needs to do to find it is to intercept a couple of peices of mail or your trash.
No doubt there are illegal databases linked to the net containing millions of SSNs with names.