Gen wrote:
>
> This is for real, I just called.
And found out what?
This next included post is also from someone who called. I'm rather
inclined to believe him, since he gives a little more detail than you do
by simply forwarding a chain letter.
> Your name, social security number, current address, previous addresses,
> mother's maiden name, birth date, and other personal information are now
> available to anyone with a credit card through a new Lexis database
> called P-Trax. As I am sure you are aware, this information could be used
> to commit credit card fraud or otherwise allow someone else to use your
> identity.
This has been discussed and debunked on the newsgroup alt.folklore.urban,
where we discuss things like chain letters, black helicopters, little boys
collecting get wel cards, and so on.
What can I say? Paranoia sells papers.
Bill D
1971 MGB (daily driver)
Herewith the included post:
--- begin included post ---
Article 294521 of alt.folklore.urban:
Path:
gaffa.voicenet.com!gnews2.voicenet.com!news.voicenet.com!news2.noc.netcom.net!noc.netcom.net!netcom.net.uk!dispatch.news.demon.net!demon!news.sprintlink.net!news-peer.sprintlink.net!arclight.uoregon.edu!news.uoregon.edu!hunter.premier.net!news1.erol
s.com!howland.erols.net!newsfeed.internetmci.com!news.webspan.net!news.tacom.army.mil!news2.acs.oakland.edu!jobone!fiesta.srl.ford.com!eccdb1.pms.ford.com!usenet
From: P Tampas <ptampas@fss102.fs.ford.com>
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Lexis/Nexis/P-Trax database
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 18:20:42 -0400
Organization: Ford Motor Co. Finance Systems
Lines: 112
Message-ID: <3239DE3A.499D@fss102.fs.ford.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: fss120.fs.ford.com
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.0b5aGold (Win95; I)
Text from a letter, my reply to a long chain. Unsure if this has been
discussed here or not. FYI.
==============================================================================
When I receive a chain letter, I don't just go "OH MY GOD! THIS IS
IMPORTANT!"
and forward to every email address I have. I take a reality check, do
just a
little investigation, and decide if forwarding is warranted.
Now then, just by calling the 1-800 number in this note and poking
around,
listening to all the messages, here is what Lexis-Nexis has to say re:
P-Trax
(spelling unsure).
P-Trax is marketed to Attorneys, Law Enforcement and Police, and is
business-
to-business only. (I could not find any menu options to attempt to
"buy" info
on myself or anyone else) This does not imply that "anyone with a
credit card"
can get this info.
The info that "MAY" be contained in the database includes:
The individual's name
The INDIVIDUAL'S MAIDEN NAME (not the mother's)
Assumed names (aliases)
Month and year of birth
Current and two previous addresses
Current phone number
Specifically mentioned as NOT included:
Credit History or other financial data
Not mentioned (and I assume not included):
Social security number
Now then, unless you're a criminal with aliases, I would imagine every
freakin' credit card issuer in the country already has all the above
P-trax info on you, and anyone off the street could acquire it with
minimal effort through legitimate avenues. You would be shocked to find
out how much information about you is in marketing databases around
the country, acquired and distributed through legitimate means.
If you are still concerned, you can have yourself removed from P-Trax
by putting your request in writing. I'm not going to give the telephone
number or address here for faxing/mailing this info, since the phone
number changed since the original note was sent. Call their toll-free
voice number (1-800-543-6862) and follow the instructions.
You may choose to send this info on to anyone you may have forwarded
the original warning to, but I will NOT take any responsibilty for
any repercussions of ensuing chain letters.
Respectfully submitted,
P. Tampas
NOT A FORD MOTOR COMPANY SPOKESPERSON
And if you've read this far, do me and the rest of the 'net a favor:
Do not forward any mail about:
Good Times virus
$250 (Neiman Marcus) Cookie Recipe
Dying Boy (Craig Shergold) wants business cards for world record
SCUBA diver dropped on forest fire from water-scooping aircraft
etc. etc.
See newsgroup alt.folklore.urban for debunking of MOST chain e-mail
as simply not true.
>>Begin forwarded message:
>>
>>Subject: Troubling side to technology
>>
>>Message being forwarded:
>>
>>Subject: Personal Information on Lexis
>>
>>Your name, social security number, current address, previous
>>addresses, mother's maiden name, birth date and other personal
>>information are now available to anyone with a credit card through a
>>new Lexis database called P-Trax. As I am sure you are aware, this
>>information could be used to commit credit card fraud or otherwise allo=
w
>>someone else to use your identity.
>>
>>You can have your name and information removed from this list by
>>making a telephone request. Call (800)543-6862, select option 4 and
>>then option 3 ("all other questions") and tell the representative
>>answering
>>that you wish to remove your name from the P-trax database. You may
>>also send a fax to (513) 865-7360, or physical mail to LEXIS-NEXIS / P.=
O.
>>Box 933 / Dayton, Ohio 45401-0933. Sending physical mail to confirm
>>your name has been removed is always a good idea.
>>
>>As word of the existence of this database has spread on the net,
>>Lexis-Nexis has been inundated with calls, and has set up a special set=
>>of operators to handle the volume. In addition, Andrew Bleh (rhymes
>>with "Play") is a manager responsible for this product, and is the pers=
on
>>to whom complaints about the service could be directed. He can be
>>reached at the above 800 number. Ask for extension 3385. According
>>to Lexis, the manager responsible is Bill Fister at extension 1364.
>>
>>I called this morning and had my name removed. The representative will=
>>need your name and social security number to remove you from the list. =
I
>>suggest that we inundate these people with requests to remove our info
>>from the list and forward this e-mail to everyone we know.
>
>-Roger
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