Citibank exposes 600,000 customers' Social Security numbers

[OhioChick]

Ralph Remakel received a Citibank letter postmarked Feb. 16 that notified him of a recent Citibank error. It turns out he wasn't the only one.

In late January, Citibank mailed year-end tax statements to 600,000 Citi customers via the U.S. Postal Service that included the customers' Social Security numbers ... on the outside of the envelope.

Citi called the mistake a "processing error."

Although the nine-digit numbers were not identified as Social Security numbers (they were printed at the lower edge of the envelope with other numbers and letters and resembled a mail routing number), Citi still reacted to the mistake. EVP and Director of Citibank Client Services Norman White sent customer notification letters to every affected Citi customer during the week of Feb. 15, apologizing for the error.

The letter offered Citi customers the option to enroll in a free, 180-day credit monitoring service arranged by Citibank, but White also encouraged customers to regularly review activity on their accounts.

Remakel said he did not take advantage of Citibank's credit monitoring service offer.

"It’s like small change compared to the effect of me getting my Social Security number compromised," Remakel said. "Who would would really see it except the post office? But it’s not like it’s hidden in any way. What’s the easiest way to take someone’s identity? Their Social Security Number."

More: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/the-problem-solver/2010/03/citibank-exposes-600000-customers-social-security-numbers.html

[customerserviceguy]

1. If you've EVER had a tax lien filed against you

then your SS # is already in the public records someplace, even if the lien is paid off or expired, it's toothpaste out of the tube...

[notesdev]

7. It doesn't even need to be that

Think of all the public and private organizations that have your SS# - all financial institutions you have ever dealt with, all medical (unless conducted privately), and at least two levels of government and the numerous bureaucracies within.

With your SS# showing up in all those places, what are the chances it has not yet been compromised?

[customerserviceguy]

9. In those situations

it would take an "insider" to grab your SS#. In the case I mentioned, tax liens are a public record in the courthouse of every county in the US. Many of the counties have their files available online to any anonymous person searching the database for free.

[laughingliberal]

2. Hmmm. On a mailer about their credit monitoring service. Perhaps trying to drum up business. nt

[L0oniX]

3. LOL

[BrklynLiberal]

4. oops

How could something like that have been UNintentional??????????????

[mirrera]

5. It happened to us as well...

[Gabi Hayes]

6. they had to give me a new credit card.....

can't wait til it's time to turn off the lights....

first thing I do is run it up to the max

[JoeyT]

8. Good thing everyone is terrified of computers

because of "identity theft" hysteria.

And people wonder why I laugh at them when they ask me how to prevent their identity being stolen on the intarwebz.

[marmar]

10. The $hiti ought to be put to sleep