1996-09-10 - FW: RRE: Lexis-Nexis personal information database

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From: “Mullen Patrick” <Mullen.Patrick@mail.ndhm.gtegsc.com>
To: “Cypherpunks list” <cypherpunks@toad.com>
Message Hash: d7a3cd2ae3186fc6d00c8edcecbf3558b70b6cb3958c06c551450c9193c542d5
Message ID: <n1369774682.50263@mail.ndhm.gtegsc.com>
Reply To: N/A
UTC Datetime: 1996-09-10 20:09:42 UTC
Raw Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 04:09:42 +0800

Raw message

From: "Mullen Patrick" <Mullen.Patrick@mail.ndhm.gtegsc.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 04:09:42 +0800
To: "Cypherpunks list" <cypherpunks@toad.com>
Subject: FW: RRE: Lexis-Nexis personal information database
Message-ID: <n1369774682.50263@mail.ndhm.gtegsc.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Okay, here's the story.  The below is true, except they do NOT have your
mother's maiden name.  The have your name, SSN, current addy, two previous
addys, and date of birth.  They also have aliases, if available.  Their main
customers are attorneys who use this _online_ service to search for people. 
They've been in business for 20 years, but this list has only been run for 
a few months.  Their customer base (I assume including all databases, which
includes lists of ALL legal actions (traffic tickets??)) is 750,000.  Hm.  Oh,
and the SSN isn't given out, but it can be used to search for someone more
easily.  So, when you do a query, all you'll get is Name, address, phone
number, and date of birth, as well as two previous addresses, for what it's
worth.  The only thing you get that you wouldn't find out by looking in the
White Pages is the DOB, and that you could make up.  Another case of
mass-hysteria (but, of course, *I'm* no longer on the list... ;-)

BTW, they're very nice as you get taken off the computer.  LONG time on hold,
though...

Spyjure

_______________________________________________________________________________
From: E. Allen Smith on Tue, Sep 10, 1996 3:14
Subject: RRE: Lexis-Nexis personal information database
To: cypherpunks@toad.com

	One wonders exactly how much of this information is compiled from
government-generated sources? The SSN is automatically originally
government-derived, of course...
	-Allen

From:	IN%"rre@weber.ucsd.edu"  7-SEP-1996 02:02:07.36

[Excerpt from Privacy Forum 5.17.]

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Date: Tue, 3 Sep 96 12:01 PDT
From: privacy@vortex.com (PRIVACY Forum)
Subject: PRIVACY Forum Digest V05 #17

PRIVACY Forum Digest      Tuesday, 3 September 1996      Volume 05 : Issue 17

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:    Tue, 3 Sep 1996 11:22:15 -0400 (EDT)
From:    Larry Hunter <hunter@intr.net>
Subject: Lexis-Nexis personal information database

Lexis-Nexis sells a commercial database called "Ptrax" which holds detailed
personal information on nearly all Americans (L-N claims it contains 300
million names).  This database includes name, current address, up to two
previous addresses, phone number, birth-date, social security number,
mother's maiden name and possible other personal information.  This database
is kept quite current.  Through the Nexis Express service, this information
could be available to any individual with a credit card.

As most readers will are aware, such information could easily be used for
theft of identity and other frauds.  It is possible to have one's name
removed from this database by making a telephone request.  Call
(800)543-6862, select option 4 ("all other questions") and tell the
representative answering that you wish to remove your name from the Ptrax
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 person to whom complaints
about the service could be directed.  He can be reached at the above 800
number, selection option 4 and then ask for extension 3385.

The information in this note has been been confirmed by me, and was
originally provided in forwarded messages from Russell Whitaker, Jason
Werner, Vern Winters, Katherine Florman and Reuben Snipper.

Larry Hunter
hunter@intr.net

------------------------------

End of PRIVACY Forum Digest 05.17
************************


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From: "E. Allen Smith" <EALLENSMITH@ocelot.Rutgers.EDU>
Subject: RRE: Lexis-Nexis personal information database
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