На страже privacy
Jan. 5th, 2006 07:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
birdwatcherНа той неделе H&R Block прислал мне CD с новой версией своей программы ТaxCut. Только федеральной, конечно, поэтому бесплатно. Я его сразу выбросил. Вообще-то к этой программе у меня особое отношение, потому что это была моя первая настоящая американская работа, в Block Financial, в Кеймбридже, на Alewife Brook Parkway. Кстати, alewife - это рыбка, селедка, а не то, что вы подумали.
Вот, а вчера пришло еще письмо:
Dear [birdwatcher]:
Recently we mailed you a free copy of our TaxCut software. We
believe that this complimentary software will meet your 2006 tax
preparation needs, based on our prior experience with you as an
H&R Block client. We hope that you will try TaxCut and find it
to be a great solution for filing your next tax return.
However, since we sent you this CD, we have become aware of a
mail production situation that has affected a small percentage of
recipients, including you. Due to human error in developing the
mailing list, the digits of your social security number (SSN)
were used as part of your mailing label's source code, a string
of more than 40 numbers and characters. Fortunately, these
digits were embedded in the middle of the string, and they were
not formatted in any manner that would identify them as an SSN.
Nevertheless, we sincerely apologize for this inadvertent error,
which is completely inconsistent with our strict policies to
protect our clients' privacy. Our internal policies limit the use
of client SSNs for purposes other than tax preparation.
Furthermore, our internal procedures require that mailing source
codes are formulated in a manner that excludes use of any
sensitive or confidential information. Please know that we have
conducted a thorough internal review of this matter, and are
taking actions to ensure this does not re-occur.
Again, please understand that the digits of your SSN were
embedded in the middle of a lengthy source code, and they were
not formatted in a manner that identifies them as an SSN. As a
result, we believe the exposure of your SSN digits was limited to
you alone, since you are the only person who would recognize
their significance. Nonetheless, we suggest that you destroy
the wrapper and mailing label of the free TaxCut CD we sent you.
If you would like more information about this incident, please
visit www.taxcut.com/answers, a special Website that contains
additional details and an e-mail link for contacting us with your
questions.
On behalf of the more than 100,000 associates of H&R Block, allow
me to apologize for this unfortunate situation. Through 50 tax
seasons, H&R Block has earned a reputation as a valued,
trustworthy ally to our clients, and we sincerely hope that you
will find the free TaxCut CD and our information-packed
taxcut.com Website to be helpful tools for the 2006 tax filing
season.
Sincerely,
Tom Allanson
Senior Vice President & General Manager
H&R Block Digital Tax Solutions
4400 Main Street Kansas City, MO 64111
TCM-GEN-1205
www.taxcut.com
Вот, а вчера пришло еще письмо:
Dear [birdwatcher]:
Recently we mailed you a free copy of our TaxCut software. We
believe that this complimentary software will meet your 2006 tax
preparation needs, based on our prior experience with you as an
H&R Block client. We hope that you will try TaxCut and find it
to be a great solution for filing your next tax return.
However, since we sent you this CD, we have become aware of a
mail production situation that has affected a small percentage of
recipients, including you. Due to human error in developing the
mailing list, the digits of your social security number (SSN)
were used as part of your mailing label's source code, a string
of more than 40 numbers and characters. Fortunately, these
digits were embedded in the middle of the string, and they were
not formatted in any manner that would identify them as an SSN.
Nevertheless, we sincerely apologize for this inadvertent error,
which is completely inconsistent with our strict policies to
protect our clients' privacy. Our internal policies limit the use
of client SSNs for purposes other than tax preparation.
Furthermore, our internal procedures require that mailing source
codes are formulated in a manner that excludes use of any
sensitive or confidential information. Please know that we have
conducted a thorough internal review of this matter, and are
taking actions to ensure this does not re-occur.
Again, please understand that the digits of your SSN were
embedded in the middle of a lengthy source code, and they were
not formatted in a manner that identifies them as an SSN. As a
result, we believe the exposure of your SSN digits was limited to
you alone, since you are the only person who would recognize
their significance. Nonetheless, we suggest that you destroy
the wrapper and mailing label of the free TaxCut CD we sent you.
If you would like more information about this incident, please
visit www.taxcut.com/answers, a special Website that contains
additional details and an e-mail link for contacting us with your
questions.
On behalf of the more than 100,000 associates of H&R Block, allow
me to apologize for this unfortunate situation. Through 50 tax
seasons, H&R Block has earned a reputation as a valued,
trustworthy ally to our clients, and we sincerely hope that you
will find the free TaxCut CD and our information-packed
taxcut.com Website to be helpful tools for the 2006 tax filing
season.
Sincerely,
Tom Allanson
Senior Vice President & General Manager
H&R Block Digital Tax Solutions
4400 Main Street Kansas City, MO 64111
TCM-GEN-1205
www.taxcut.com
no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 01:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 04:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 04:17 pm (UTC)В штате Мериленд, например, со вчерашнего дня специальный закон, запрещающий использовать эти номера в качестве primary key или что-то в таком духе (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10693628/).
no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 04:23 pm (UTC)Не совсем так. Ты можешь потратишь кучу времени выправляя свою кредитную историю и доказывая, что ты не верблюд. У моего отца была ситуация, когда ему пытались приписать долги его однофамильца, сделанные до приезда моего отца сюда. Казалось бы просто, но времени ушла куча.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 04:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 10:50 pm (UTC)Но если, конечно, покупать, скажем, дом, за наличные - то проблем нет.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 10:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-05 11:08 pm (UTC)Кстати о системе. Читала статью как-то, в которой автор рассказывал о своих злоключениях - он пытался выполнять рекомендацию не давать свой SSN кому попало (при покупке машины, к примеру). Catch 22, кароче. Или, еще вернее, когдатошняя наша ситуация с тракторными тележками - в колхозе, в который посылал родной НИИ: перед поездкой подписываешь бумагу, что ознакомлен - на тракторных тележках ездить человекам нельзя, опасно для жизни. Потом приезжаешь в колхоз - и оказывается, что другого типа транспорта там просто нету :) А пешком с десяток километров - далековато будет.
Так и тут. Требуют этот номер все, кому не лень - для проверок. А давать - нельзя :)
no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 01:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 01:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 05:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 01:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 01:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 01:21 am (UTC)Это еще одна загадка системы для меня, если честно. Явным образом - деньги от продажи наркотиков или из другого источника такого же кхм... качества. Как?! Где ужасные налоговые службы, к примеру?
Не дает ответа.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 01:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 01:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 01:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 05:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 02:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 05:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 05:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-06 02:02 am (UTC)