Just In Case You Weren't Aware....

[BoSoxGal]

I have routinely left the SS# query blank on written forms provided to me by medical providers, and they’ve never even commented on it. I’m befuddled why they would request that information to begin with - what relevance does it have to medical care? my medical insurer presumably has that information, but my provider doesn’t need it to assess or treat my physical conditions. I suspect the only reason it is requested is to facilitate collections of unpaid bills in the event the insurer doesn’t cover something and the patient doesn’t pay the out of pocket balance.

It’s one thing to enter a portion of one’s SS# into a secure server and quite another to write out one’s entire SS# on a paper form which also includes one’s DOB, residential address, emergency contact info, etc. accessible by an office full of staff one knows nothing about.

[Scooter]

It's an easy unique identifier that most people have on the tip of their tongue when accessing a service, making it easier for a service provider to use than having to create their own that patients/clients would have to have handy.

[Long Run]

Most medical providers I've seen in the last few years have moved to date of birth as the identifier -- DOB plus name. I haven't provided a SSN with respect to medical care in some time.

[liberty]

You should read the info at the link I gave. You don’t need to enter your name and SSN. Just the last 6 digits of your SSN to find out if your info was possibly compromised by Equifax. You don’t give your SSN to file a claim either. I was alerted a long time ago so I already know I’m eligible for compensation.

The last six numbers you say. Well the first two numbers are known they indicate the state. So that leave one number to be guested; I wonder what the chances of that is.

[Joe Guy]

Well, liberty... to you and other worry warts, consider this: Equifax and other credit bureaus already have your mother's maiden name, your work history, current and past residence address, SSN, credit card numbers and more. The website I linked is encrypted and secure and the information is going to the business in charge of disbursing the settlement. If you're not okay with that, don't do anything.

[Big RR]

Equifax and other credit bureaus already have your mother's maiden name, your work history, current and past residence address, SSN, credit card numbers and more. The website I linked is encrypted and secure and the information is going to the business in charge of disbursing the settlement.

And as the first post and this settlement show, they sucked at keeping that information secure. Doyouthink maybe they'll not handle it more securely? Or do you think it just doesn't matter?

[Scooter]

They already have everyone's SSN. Would getting it again (if that is what the class attorneys will do with it, that remains unclear) somehow make it worse?

[Joe Guy]

And as the first post and this settlement show, they sucked at keeping that information secure. Doyouthink maybe they'll not handle it more securely? Or do you think it just doesn't matter?

My point is that they already have the information. So, the suckage factor is irrelevant. The website is set up only to verify eligibility for compensation based on the information you give them.

Anyone who doesn't feel secure about their information being in the hands of credit bureaus should probably freeze their credit reports. Of course, you'll have to verify your identity to do that...

[Big RR]

I guess my concern is that every time you put something out on the internet, no matter how fancy the security is, there is always a chance that it will be hacked or otherwise go astray.

And, FWIW, why do they need 6 digits of the SSN, why not 4 as is the usual practice in most identification schemes? It may be legitimate (indeed, based on the other posts in this thread it probably is), but it seemed sketch to me. People are often more than willing to provide a lot of personal information online without being certain where it is going, so I don't think my concern is misplaced. I have known a few people who were the subject of identity theft, and it can be a nightmare.

[RayThom]

In the infinite vastness of cyberspace, if you think your data is secure then it IS secure.

We all live in our own reality, it's how we cope.

[Guinevere]

After the news of the CapOne hack last night, I went ahead and froze my credit with all three bureaus. Each one has a different process, and requires different information. Only one required my full SS#, the others verified facts based on chosing things like my correct license plate#, original amount of my mortgage, etc.

[Big RR]

In the infinite vastness of cyberspace, if you think your data is secure then it IS secure.

We all live in our own reality, it's how we cope.

I have no illusions here, but I see no reason to make it any easier.

[Scooter]

If you believe you qualify for compensation, and have questions for the attorneys about the info they are collecting to get it for you, then how about asking them, rather than assuming that they will be as careless with your data as those they are suing on your behalf?

[Big RR]

True, I imagine I could do that if I could determine who the attorneys were and who should be contacted--I don't see that listed anywhere here. I'm sure it's a matter of public record, but given the size of the potential class, I sincerely doubt they would answer phone calls or letters.

And as for suing on my behalf, I have not yet opted into or out of the class (indeed, I don't know even if I could be part of the class), nor have I been contacted by the attorneys, so they are not doing anything on my behalf.

Again, I just expressed my concerns which people can other take or leave as they see fit. If people choose to provide their information it's fine with me; ditto if they choose not to provide it.

[Scooter]

For more information or to request that a copy of the Notice be sent to you in the mail, you can also contact the Settlement Administrator at 1-833-759-2982, by email at info@EquifaxBreachSettlement.com, or by mailing a letter to:

Equifax Data Breach Settlement Administrator
c/o JND Legal Administration
PO Box 91318
Seattle, WA 98111-9418

If you wish to communicate directly with Class Counsel, you may contact them (see FAQ 20). You may also seek advice and guidance from your own private lawyer at your own expense, if you wish to do so.

These answers are only a summary of the lawsuit and the settlement. Other related documents can be accessed through the settlement website. If you have questions about the proposed settlement, or wish to receive a copy of the Settlement Agreement but do not have access to the Internet to download a copy online, you may contact the Settlement Administrator. The Court cannot respond to any questions regarding the Notice, the lawsuit, or the proposed settlement.

[RayThom]

[Bicycle Bill]

File this under the "Don't Count Your Chickens" category —

Remember that $125 you could have gotten from the Equifax Inc. data-breach settlement?  Yeah, never mind.

The Federal Trade Commission announced Wednesday that, due to an overwhelming response, cash payments aren’t going to be anywhere near $125 each, and urged consumers to sign up for the free credit monitoring offered as an alternative.

About 147 million people were affected by the 2017 Equifax breach, but only $31 million was set aside for payments as part of the $700 million settlement, announced last week.  A quick bit of math shows that for everyone to have gotten $125 from that pot, there would have to be only 248,000 claimants.  While the FTC didn’t give a number, they said there were already “an enormous number of claims filed.”

“A large number of claims for cash instead of credit monitoring means only one thing:  each person who takes the money option will wind up only getting a small amount of money,” the FTC said in a blog post Wednesday.

-"BB"-

[Joe Guy]

I opted for the credit monitoring when I found out I qualified for a claim. It looked to me like I'd have to lie in order to qualify for cash (and I'd bet quite a few people did lie). You had to claim you were using a credit monitoring service and would be using it for at least six more months. I've noticed now that they changed the form since I applied and now have a space where you need to tell them which credit monitoring service you're using.

claim form