[DallasNews] A mystery package arrived last week in my mailbox. The contents inside scare my family and friends who fear it's a threat to steal my identity.The big envelope contains a 59-page dossier on my life built from public records. If a criminal got hold of these 59 pages, he or she could take over my life. Like in a movie.
The dossier shocks me in its detail. Every possible piece of information needed to steal my identity is included.
Fast forward:
I do not feel threatened. I feel relieved that someone in Data World has come forward ‐ at personal risk ‐ to leak this document to The Watchdog so I could share this with you.
The leaker is saying, I believe, "Watchdog, you are only skimming the surface in your Equifax breach reporting. Check this out."
I'm only guessing. There is no cover letter, no return address, no postmark on the envelope (as sometimes happens).
But don't for a moment believe that the same type of file doesn't exist on you, too. It does.
Fast forward:
Who created the dossier?
Thomson Reuters, headquartered in Toronto, calls itself "The Answer Company." It is the answer to my questions.
"The intelligence, technology and human expertise you need to find trusted answers."
I'll say.
I send the Thomson Reuters PR department a copy of the first seven pages. The company confirms this is one of their reports.
The company runs a program called CLEAR that it markets to law enforcement, government agencies and corporate security. The stuff is not supposed to leak out, like it does here.
After I contact the company, spokesman Scott Augustin tells me, "What has happened here is entirely unacceptable, and we are investigating the situation."
He continues: "Thomson Reuters is taking this situation very seriously, and takes the privacy and security of our data within its control just as seriously. It is unfortunate that a vetted user would choose to send a report to you in violation of their user agreement."
I hope they don't catch the leaker. Otherwise, we might never know about CLEAR and how easy it is to lose control of its information. You see how easy it is to leak? (If you're reading this, leaker, thank you.)
Everybody is crazed about the Equifax leakage. That's nothing compared with the potential damage caused by this product.