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Biju d'or

May 27, 2005


Biju Mathew, taxi expert, labor organizer, professor, and radio host

Next week: Bijou Phillips!

Our three-part series on identity theft concluded today. Here's an email from one sharp listener who takes issue with the very term "identity theft".

The financial institutions have been focusing the blame on the customers for
a long time, while the security of the system itself is broken.

In the race to generate more business, bonuses (such as immediate price
reductions, instant credit lines) have been steadily increasing while
inconveniences (such as documented proof of identity) have been decreasing.

Worst of all, social security numbers have become a combined id and
password. This type of system is incredibly insecure and we have been
witnessing the inevitable criminal response. In a typical security system,
knowing just an username or password will provide nothing - it is only with
both items that access is granted. By tying the two functions together
within the social security number, the minimum of any accepted form of
security is lost.

The only reason ID theft is successful is because goods/services are offered
without secrutiny on the part of the seller. As an ID theft victim, your
future business transactions suffer from tremendous distrust because SOMEONE
ELSE was careless and/or unscrupulous.
-MZ


Posted by leboheme at 02:47 PM