Judge Rules LifeLock’s Fraud Alert Service Illegal (Threat Level)

[DrewWilson]

In a decision that has privacy advocates and others scratching their heads, a federal judge has ruled that LifeLock has been breaking California law for years by placing fraud alerts on its customer’s credit profiles.

The decision is a blow to the burgeoning identify-theft protection industry, and means that companies that experience data breaches may no longer be able to offer victims free subscriptions to such services — a standard damage-control tactic in recent years. Consumers can still place fraud alerts by contacting one of the three U.S. credit reporting agencies directly.

Bo Holland, founder and CEO of Debix, a competitor of LifeLock, called the ruling “dramatic and unexpected.”

“It causes a real shift in the industry,” he told Threat Level.

More... (http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/05/lifelock/)

[fleecy]

sounds like some of their practices were verging on the shady side.... too bad, because ppl feel vulnerable enough as it is.

[drtoker]

Fact is, nothing replaces you going and checking your own credit report and keeping your own information safe to begin with.

Some common ways people become victims of identity theft:
Stolen Mail *and trash* thanks fleecy!
Letting your credit card out of your site (restauraunt anyone?)
Signing up for crap online
People reading over your shoulder (my friend memorized my SSN this way in about 3 seconds when I was filling out an app one day, and still remembers it to this day)

Of course you can't help it if Visa gets hacked or something...

Be safe out there people, and keep yourself safe, no one else will!

[fleecy]

good advice, doc. don't discard receipts either- burn or shred.