Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!aurs01!luce
From: luce@aurs01.UUCP (J. Luce)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: Citizens of the City of Mind
Message-ID: <59668@aurs01.UUCP>
Date: 20 Mar 91 23:31:44 GMT
References: <1991Mar11.070712.4223@cs.ucla.edu> <3778.27dd2150@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com> <1225@airs.UUCP>
Sender: news@aurs01.UUCP
Reply-To: luce@aurw46.UUCP (J. Luce)
Organization: Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh NC
Lines: 37

In article <1225@airs.UUCP> airs!ian@uunet.uu.net (Ian Lance Taylor) writes:
>In article <3778.27dd2150@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com> herrickd@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com (daniel lance herrick) writes:
>>In article <1991Mar11.070712.4223@cs.ucla.edu>, gast@lanai.cs.ucla.edu (David Gast) writes:
>>> 
>>> Anyway, when did I ever make Equifax my agent and ask them to sell info
>>> about me?
>>> 
>>You freely gave information that is valuable and Equifax is selling
>>it as the agent of the person you gave it to or as their own agent.
>


Well, I had something more scary happen... I just bought a townhouse,
I went for Homeowner's Insurance. the agent took the info over the phone.
He placed the business and I came by, dropped off the check to pre-pay
for 1 year, got my policy and left. 2 weeks later the insurance (which
had been prepaid) was cancelled due to my Credit Report from
CBI/Equifax. *NEVER EVER* did I give anyone the right to look up my
report or check *ANY* kind of reference. So, I call South Carolina
Insurance Commission (Insurer is located there) and complain. Sorry,
they say, it is a *STATE LAW* that anyone with a 'vested interest' can
grab your credit report, *WITHOUT* your permission. For example, if you
are at a hotel and did not pre-pay your room, the hotel can call and get
your report because you owe them money. If you pre-pay but *could* use
room service to order a midnight snack, that gives them grounds to do the
check...

This was straight from the S.C Insurance Commissioner. They said this
holds true in N.C. also (I'm checking tomorrow). How's that for
protection from big brother???

Is there a Federal Law out there that overrides this manure ? If so, who
do I call, the U.S. Atty. General's office here said it wasn't their
problem...

Thanks...
Fuming In Raleigh...