(09-21-2024, 09:36 AM)americus 2.0 Wrote:

(08-27-2024, 06:33 AM)homebiscuit Wrote: It’s not trivial, but it’s become so common these days that it has taken on an air of triviality. Notifications of data breaches is almost a monthly occurrence now.  The service I use sent me an email with notification of 14 breaches. Most were general in nature saying that my SSN, email address and other sundry information was exposed. No particular company or organization involved, just a notification that it’s dark outside and my window shades are open.

I’ve pretty much resolved myself to the fact that all on my personal info is out there and there’s nothing I can do about it except to monitor my credit report and hope for the best. It seems like another step towards requiring biometrics for everything in the future.

I thought of you when I got a monthly email today from an outfit I use to get my info removed from data broker lists and other lists. They're called Incogni and their job is to remove info sold to data brokers that results in a lot of spam emails, texts and phone calls. They even work to remove people's names and info from those 'people finder' websites. 

Incogni doesn't help with your specific annoyance of data breaches (or maybe it does in a different way) but it does help cut back on a lot of BS. It also helps to not have unnecessary apps on your phone and to use an email service like duck.com which blocks a butt load of trackers. 

They send me a monthly report by email and I can log on to the website to see more details. I think it's about $80/year. 

https://incogni.com/

I do a pretty good job staying on top of spam on my own (and I eat it too). Ever since the VA lost a laptop with millions of SS numbers, mine included, in the early 2000s, data breaches and ID theft have been a constant problem for me. Luckily, I've been able to thwart or reverse it after it happens. Some guy up in Illinois has used my SSN to open a T-Mobile account and buy a truck. I even receive a yearly letter from the SS Administration telling me they are aware of someone else using my SSN. 

It's part of my life now. I've accepted it.

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