DMGChoicePoint Responds
- How do I determine who gave ChoicePoint my checking account information?
- How do I get ChoicePoint to delete all my records?
From: consumer.center@choicepoint.comThank you for contacting ChoicePoint. We have received your request to opt out of ChoicePoint's Direct Marketing Services database. In order to process your request, please reply with your full name and current address.
No, I'm not interested in "opting out" of anything. I want ChoicePoint to forget anything they ever knew about me. So here's my reply to their first email:
Thank you for your prompt response. Just to clarify: I want ChoicePoint to delete any information that you currently have about me. Will this email accomplish this, or is there further action I need to take to make that happen? Christopher Raser [address omitted]
ChoicePoint's second email:
From: CorpMktg.Communications@choicepoint.comChoicePoint was recently a victim of organized fraud, and we understand this news may be cause for concern.
A very small number of criminals posed as legitimate companies in order to gain access to personal information about consumers. When the fraud was discovered, access to information was immediately discontinued and the authorities were notified.
ChoicePoint has acted quickly to address the circumstances that led to the unauthorized access, and we are committed to our core principles of working to create a safer, more secure society through the responsible use of information while ensuring the protection of personal privacy.
We have sent letters to affected consumers whose information may have been accessed. If you did not receive a letter from us, you have not been affected. You may also contact ChoicePoint us at 1-877-547-2518 to find out if your information was potentially affected.
If you have not received a letter but are still concerned, here are some actions you can take to help protect yourself from misuse of information.
If you think you have been the victim of identity theft, you should place a fraud alert on your credit report by contacting any one of the three credit bureaus listed below. As soon as one credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two bureaus will automatically be notified to place fraud alerts on your credit report, and all three reports will be sent to you free of charge.
The above is a complete crock. Verrifying trustworthiness of companies and individuals is what they do. The notion that ChoicePoint is "committed" to "ensuring the protection of personal privacy" is provably false. And noting that it was a "very small number of criminals" is just impertinent. I really don't care how many theives were involved. I care that 145,000 people's records were compromised.
I'll be calling the above number (1-877-547-2518) and talking with a ChoicePoint rep to see what's what. More on that when I get around to it.