California Selling Social Security Numbers
Local Lawmaker Wants To Stop The State’s Four-Year-Long Practice
(CBS13) SACRAMENTO When Alexis Jones tried buying house and found several accounts she didn’t recognize on her credit report, she knew she had become an identity theft victim. Every year 45,000 other Californians become victims of identity theft.
“I do a lot of Internet buying, I’m always online. So, I knew I was susceptible. All they need is just a number and they can open accounts and all kinds of things,” said Jones
Today, a Sacramento lawmaker showed how you could go to the Secretary of State’s the web page where, until today, the state was selling your personal information for only $6 — the cost of lunch.
“I was really surprised to see this and really stunned to see the names of people I knew in the community, businesses large and small and see their social security numbers, signatures and their addresses,” said State Assemblyman Dave Jones.
In fact, Jones’ staff got 14 people’s records from the Secretary of States’ website for less than $90.
“It’s not the result of hacking or Internet fishing. It happens every single day as a result of standard government policy,” said Jones.
The Secretary of State has now shut down that web page only after it had been operating it for at least four years.
After her experience, Alexis Jones is now starting a credit repair business to help others caught in a situation similar to her. If the state continues to to sell others your social security number, she’s in for a long, successful career.
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Filed under: Credit, What’s Really Going On?
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