Tell Congress to protect your identity. Consumers Union action.

[nicknameless]

Text from email:

Thanks in part to the tens of thousands of messages from consumers like you participating in our "Financial Privacy Now" campaign, Congress started debating new legislation to protect you from identity theft in July. The fight is on!

Some companies--companies that made headlines for failing to keep sensitive information about consumers safe--are pushing hard to weaken these proposed safeguards.

Don’t let them get away with it! Urge Congress to pass tough, new identity theft protections for consumers.

Financial industry lobbyists are fighting legislation that would require them to notify consumers whenever sensitive information about them has been lost or stolen. They argue that businesses should be able to decide whether a breach in data security is serious enough to tell you about.

But why should we have any confidence that businesses will do a good job evaluating their own data security breaches when so many have proven themselves unable to protect your files from thieves? Consumers Union is pushing hard to make sure you get the identity theft safeguards you deserve, but we’re up against some powerful interests who are fighting common sense reform.

Petitiion at link:
https://secure2.convio.net/cu/site/Advocacy?page=UserAction&cmd=display&id=596

[NorCalDem]

1. Yeah, like telling Congress something

will actually get them to act. Identity theft will stop when we're all tagged with biometric chips implanted at birth, and a true Orwellian society has been realized. Yeah, freedom is on the march!

[nicknameless]

3. This manner of activism is a big part of what the DU Activist Corps

is about. Are you going to tell Skinner etc. DUers that these kinds of efforts are a waste of time?

Our voices in unison are what the Congress needs to hear. Currently what they're hearing in unison are the voices of the big businesses that want to compromise your personal information for their own profits!

Let's face it, we're ALL pissed! So do your grumbling, cursing, whatever you need to do -- and GET THE F*** OVER IT!
... THEN SIGN THE DAMN PETITION.

[wli]

2. like telling Congress anything has any effect; witness CAFTA

[nicknameless]

4. Please see post #3

(Hope you're feeling better)

[nicknameless]

5. Dear nattering nabobs of negativism:

Please see post #3. :eyes:

[nicknameless]

6. Our voices DO MATTER

Congress wouldn't even be debating this issue if it weren't for the outrage voiced by consumers over their compromised private information. Identity theft and the fraudulent use of your social security number can put your life in upheaval. Statistically, it takes approximately two years to straighten out the financial mess created by another person using your identity, opening accounts and running up charges in your name. Until you're able to clear your name and clean up your financial record, you can be denied credit, employment, and housing.

We CAN help put a stop to it. Please sign the Consumers Union petition at link in the OP.

After months of news about companies that have failed to keep sensitive information about consumers safe, Congress is finally beginning to look at enacting new laws to provide Americans with better identity theft safeguards.

But if lobbyists working for big financial companies and the data broker industry get their way, you may still be left in the dark if your sensitive information is stolen or lost by companies that maintain files about you.

In the face of intense industry lobbying, Congress may end up passing legislation that doesn’t provide you with the protection you need and prevents states from adopting stronger laws.

ACT NOW: Urge Congress to adopt a set of strong identity theft safeguards:

* Require all types of companies and government agencies to inform consumers when sensitive information about them has been lost, stolen or changed
* Impose tough security requirements on data brokers to protect the information they hold
* Give all consumers the right to put a security freeze on credit files
* Restrict the widespread collection, use, and sale of Social Security numbers
* Allow states to enact stronger safeguards