News

Firms cash in on selling personal information

August 21, 2005

Los Angeles Times:Records that ChoicePoint Inc. held for about 150,000 people were released to identity thieves who scammed their way into ChoicePoint's databases, which the company says constitutes the largest private collection of court records, Social Security numbers and other public and personal data in the country. Insurance companies, banks, law enforcement agencies and many arms of federal and local governments buy information from ChoicePoint to perform background checks on potential clients, tenants or employees. Now the Alpharetta, Ga., firm is finding a lucrative new business charging consumers worried about identity theft for access to their own criminal, education and employment histories.

The companies offering such services say they provide real value. But consumer advocates complain that ChoicePoint, the major credit bureaus and others are reaping the benefits of their own lapses and, in some cases, recklessness.