John, I understand identity theft well enough. I h=guess you don't understand the HK ID card and how it is so different to how the SS Number has been described here.
> > That ID number is linked to the name, address, birthdate, place of birth, > and other vital statistics about "Ron Hawkins", is it not? And the > appearance of the physical ID card, passport, etc. on which he relies is > "well-known", is it not? And technology available even to schoolchildren > is > sufficiently sophisticated to reproduce that "well-known" ID card > faithfully > enough to convince even the "above-average person" of the validity of the > reproduction, is it not? The ID card is used for identification, but my bank account and credit card numbers have no relationship to my ID Card. The ID card is pretty much as tamper proof as a good passport page - more so as the photo is embedded into the plastic and not simply stuck on, stamped and laminated over. It is certainly not the sort of thing that a local school kid can reproduce. When ID card numbers are asked for over the phone by the banks to verify my ID, I have already entered my PIN number and I am also asked for my birthday, and sometimes a question that I have registered an answer to. > > So, let's say that "Joe Schmuck" obtains "Ron Hawkins'" ID number, and via > that number learns that "Ron Hawkins" is a "model citizen" worthy of > emulation. All "Joe Schmuck" needs to do is place his own photo on a > reproduction of a "Ron Hawkins" identity document, and voila! "Joe > Schmuck" > *IS* "Ron Hawkins", for most intents and purposes. That's a big assumption, because the ID card and my address does not have any relationship to my accounts. IT is ID only. And the photo is part of the card - it is not stuck on. It is not like your local computer room identity card - it is a secure and tamper proof. Your argument is only valid in your system - it breaks down here. > > Now the fake "Ron Hawkins" starts enjoying the creditworthiness and good > name of the real "Ron Hawkins", and it isn't long before he falls into his > old habits of overextending, paying late or not at all, getting into > "official contact" situations with the police, etc., etc. Not too long > after that, these things start showing up on "Ron Hawkins'" credit report. > But the real "Ron Hawkins" might not realize it until he applies for > credit > some time in the future, or is stopped by police for some minor infraction, > after much damage has been done to his reputation. > > Now the real "Ron Hawkins" has to bear the embarrassment, expenses and > time > to (try to) clear his good name. A good argument in the system employed in your country, and yes it can happen here in Hong Kong if someone stole my identity. But it won't happen on the strength of someone having my Hong Kong ID number. > > *THAT* is why we are concerned about "identity theft". > And so you should be with a system like that. > > How astutely do bank tellers determine the validity of whatever is > presented > as "verification of identity"? Very, very carefully. In Singapore I have had to change my Employment Pass because the laminate was damaged and Bank would not accept it. And this did not even have a photo! > > If you were to post either of those numbers on the Internet (even in this > forum), I'd wager that before this decade is out you'd be "wanted" > somewhere > in the world, and not for your professional talents. HK ID P412697(5) Ron ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
