The most controversial part of the RadioShack bankruptcy auction has been the proposed sale of the company’s extensive collection of e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses. Everyone from Apple to most states’ attorneys general objects to this sale, which goes against the company’s privacy policy. That’s why the bankruptcy court appointed a privacy ombudsman to evaluate the situation and lay out some rules for how that information will be passed to the new owners of the RadioShack brand…or not. [More]
consumer privacy
The Other Danger Of Online Payday Loans: Identity Theft
By 4.16.15
Many people who seek online payday loans are already in a very vulnerable position when they take on the added risk of the excessive interest rates and often exorbitant fees associated with these short-term loans. But there’s another danger possibly lurking in the payday shadows: Having all their personal and financial data end up in the hands of cyber criminals. [More]
HSBC Finance Says Some Mortgage Customers’ Information May Have Been Compromised
By 4.16.15
Customers of HSBC’s U.S.-based finance division are the latest victims of a data breach, the bank confirmed this week in a letter to the New Hampshire Attorney General. [More]
Tens Of Thousands Of British Airways Frequent Flyer Accounts Hacked
By 3.30.15
If you’re having issues accessing your British Airways account to book your next flight, it’s likely a result of a weekend hack targeting the airline. [More]
AT&T Asked RadioShack To Destroy Customer And Proprietary Information
By 3.23.15
The auction for the smoldering remains of RadioShack is happening right now at the offices of the company’s attorneys in New York City, and something caught our attention while we wait for news about the winning bidders and future of the Shack and its stores and employees. AT&T has filed an objection to the proceedings in court, asking RadioShack to destroy any sensitive information about customers and AT&T itself. [More]
FCC: Verizon To Pay $7.4M To Settle Consumer Privacy Investigation
By 9.3.14
Verizon is the now the owner of a title it probably would rather not have: the largest settlement related to the privacy of telephone customers’ personal information in Federal Communications Commission history. The not-so-great distinction comes as the company agreed to pay $7.4 million to settle allegations that it failed to notify millions of customers of their privacy rights before marketing services to them. [More]
Colorado’s Marijuana Retailers Are Now On The Edge Of A Consumer Privacy Frontier
By 3.19.14
The right to privacy where you shop is something consumers hold dear, but at the same time, when your favorite stores track your purchases using loyalty rewards programs, they can better market you promotional offers or other discounts. But how’s that going to work in Colorado’s new legal marijuana industry, where privacy at the store is especially cherished? [More]
California Court: Online Merchants Can Demand Personal Info To Verify Credit Card Purchases
By 2.4.13
While a California consumer protection law dating back 22 years is all good when it comes to brick-and-mortar stores, the state’s Supreme Court ruled today that online merchants can collect personal information from buyers using credit cards. Companies like Apple and Ticketmaster had argued that they need data like home addresses and phone numbers to verify credit card purchases and prevent fraud, and the court agreed in a 4-3 decision. [More]
The FCC Says Former Customers Are Off Limits To Verizon
By 6.25.08
Verizon, who had been using proprietary data to seduce former customers into returning, received a stern message from the FCC to discontinue such practices, according to the Washington Post. Local cable companies complained that Verizon would offer $200 American Express gift cards to keep their customers and send them letters via express mail which promised steep discounts. A majority of members from the FCC said that using this information to contact ex-customers is illegal and infringes on consumers’ privacy. Details, inside…
