Consumerist
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storm8
iPhone App Developer Sued For Stealing Users' Phone Numbers
For secretly stealing users' phone number by exploiting a backdoor iPhone vulnerability, app developer Storm8 got slapped with a class action lawsuit. More » -
privacy
Baby Too Boring? Watch The Neighbor's Baby With This Monitor
If you buy the Summer Infant Day and Night Video Monitor, you might want to make sure your neighbors haven't also got one, or else they'll have a secret window into your newborn's room. More » -
woot
Database Bug At Woot Leaves Reader Wary Of Ordering
Robear wanted to order from shirt.woot, but something strange happened when he went to register. After choosing a username and entering his e-mail address, he noticed that all of the forms were pre-populated with another customer's information...including that user's credit card information. He contacted Woot to try to find out what could have happened, but Woot either hasn't figured it out yet, or just isn't responding. (UPDATE: Response from Woot below.) More » -
what the dell
Dell Gets Nosey When Attempting To Verify Order
Zach ordered a netbook online from Dell, then got a call from a customer service rep who wanted to verify his identity for the order. He was stumped as to why the company needed to give his birthday and last four digits of his SSN. More » -
psas
If You Do Not Add A Working Email To Your Profile By Sunday You Will Lose Your Account
Update: The deadline for adding an email address to your commenter ID is this Sunday, October 18th, at midnight EST. If your account doesn't include an email address by then, you will have to register again when we move the site, and you may not get the same username. If you've already added an email address, thanks! We'll see you on the other side! More » -
rebates
Citi Gives Self Permission To Sell Your Personal Info If You Get Prepaid Rebate Card
Greg says he inadvertently authorized Citi to share his personal info because he applied for an online rebate. He writes: More » -
security
American Express Wants You To Use Lame Passwords
We're no longer indignant about Amex's weirdly lax security policies anymore, we're just confused. Why would a major credit card company cold call new customers and insist they give up bank and address info over the phone, or email sensitive data to strangers? Or, we just learned, demand that you use a lame password that isn't case sensitive, is only 6 to 8 characters long, and can't contain special characters? More » -
privacy
Bank Sends Sensitive Customer Info To Some Random Gmail User
Here's the problem with Gmail: so many people use it that a mistyped e-mail address probably will not result in a bounced message. It will result in your message going to the wrong person, since nearly every derivation of a name is probably a working address. More » -
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privacy
Direct Marketing Association's Opt Out Website Is A Joke
Jonathan wanted to opt out everyone in his family from direct marketing campaigns, something the DMA promises is possible via their website. Surprise! It turns out the DMA doesn't really care so much about whether or not you want to be taken off any mailing lists, and they have a rotten website and poor security protocols to prove it. More » -
privacy
Great, Your Doctor Is Talking About You On Facebook
Apparently the new generation of med students aren't as concerned as you might like them to be about sharing your medical information on Facebook or Twitter, says Time. More » -
security
SoCalGas' Password Policy Makes Passwords Pointless
We're not sure why a company would bother with offering a password feature on their customer accounts if they disable them without warning 3 months later as a matter of policy, but that's how Southern California Gas Company rolls. Does it really matter, you ask? It might if you're a victim of domestic violence. More » -
pervs
16-Year-Old Unwittingly Stars In Homemade Abercrombie & Fitch Dressing Room Video
A teenager is suing Abercrombie & Fitch and one of its former employees after she caught someone filming her in one of the store's dressing rooms. More » -
Car dealers can use your drivers license to access your credit report
"An auto dealership checking a consumer's credit through TransUnion is not required to have the individual's social security number (SSN) in order to submit the request," says Steven Katz, a TU spokesman. Does the dealer need your permission to do that? "The dealer does not need ‘permission'; rather, it needs only certify a permissible purpose (such as extension of credit)," says Katz. [Consumer Reports] MORE » -
your rights
Squash Minimum Purchase Fees With Wallet-Sized Merchant Agreement
Fed up with stores not knowing the rules for credit card purchases, Andy at NonToxicReviews created this handy credit-card-sized PDF of the relevant portions of Visa's and MasterCard's merchant agreements. More » -
social networking
Quiz Yourself About Facebook Quiz Applications And Privacy
What do Facebook applications know about you and your friends? What do you know about what Facebook applications know about you? If you have Facebook, you can take this handy quiz from the ACLU of Northern California that tests your knowledge of Facebook, privacy, and outside developers. More » -
retail
Retail Return Databases: Fraud Deterrent Or Privacy Nightmare?
No shopper wants higher prices because of excessive return fraud, but many people aren't comfortable having their driver's license scanned when making a return at the store, either. We've covered the reasons for this before, but Retail Customer Experience took a closer look. More » -
privacy
Complaint From Canada Prompts Facebook Privacy Changes
If you're suspicious of Facebook's use of your personal data, the social networking site has made some recent changes that may make you very happy. And for this, you canblamethank Canada. More » -
privacy
Use ID Guard Stamp To (Sort Of) Block Personal Info
We're not sure how effective a stamp would be to truly block out personal info on your mail—cross-cut shredding is always better—but at the very least this would be a fun thing to do while sorting your mail. Maybe it would be good if you're one of those people who hates throwing out old magazines with your address info printed on the covers.
"ID Guard Stamp Obfuscates Your Personal Info" [Oh Gizmo!]
privacy
New York, 11:55 PM
Sat Nov 7
7 posts in the last 24 hours
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