Experion sells social security numbers to scammer

[highnote]

It's bad enough the credit company Experian is allowed to sell social security numbers, but to be dumb enough and negligent enough to sell them to a scammer is unacceptable on any level.

http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/21/4...identity-theft

"One of the top US credit bureaus was scammed into selling social security numbers to a Vietnamese hacker for months, according to a report from Krebs on Security. Experian — one of the three national US credit bureaus — reportedly sold SSNs through its subsidiary, Court Ventures, to Hieu Minh Ngo, who allegedly operated an identity theft service called SuperGet.info. The site also sold drivers license, bank account, and credit card numbers along with other personal data, though it's not clear how much of it came from Experian. Ngo has since been indicted in New Hampshire following his entry into the US."

[Tom]

"Experian acquired Court Ventures in March, 2012 because of its national public records database. After the acquisition, the US Secret Service notified Experian that Court Ventures had been and was continuing to resell data from US Info Search to a third party possibly engaged in illegal activity. Following notice by the US Secret Service, Experian discontinued reselling US Info Search data and worked closely and in full cooperation with law enforcement to bring Vietnamese national Hieu Minh Ngo, the alleged perpetrator, to justice. Experian's credit files were not accessed. Because of the ongoing federal investigation, we are not free to say anything further at this time."

Why were they selling it in the first place?
Somone needs to go to jail for a very long time.

[HUSKER55]

If you add the sum of the value of the letters for "computer" it will total 666, just like the book of revelation.

the fire that destroys mankind is the fire within, from dealing with a-holes like this one.


prophecy fulfilled!

[highnote]

Originally Posted by Tom

Why were they selling it in the first place?

I was wondering the same thing. I was not aware that it is legal to sell social security numbers.

The government makes every citizen have a social security number and then they allow those numbers to be sold. Something seems wrong about that.

I should be paid every time my number gets sold.

[Saratoga_Mike]

Originally Posted by highnote

I was wondering the same thing. I was not aware that it is legal to sell social security numbers.

The government makes every citizen have a social security number and then they allow those numbers to be sold. Something seems wrong about that.

I should be paid every time my number gets sold.

They're one of the three credit bureaus. The info would be sold to lenders (e.g., a bank, mortgage or cr card co) with the consumer's permission.