Question regarding unauthorized use of my identifying information on a website (Houston: rental, credit card)

[andrewmillichamp]

Hi chaps,

I hope you had a nice week. I have a question regarding unauthorized use of my name and address on a website and was wondering if there is any action I can take and if so where to begin.

The situation is such. I rent a mailbox from a mailbox rental company based here in Houston, and have completed all the US Postal service formalities required. I have been renting with them for several months.

Just recently the company updated their website and this morning I noticed that one of the images that is prominently displayed as a marketing image on their website shows my name and mailbox number. This is viewable by anyone visiting the website.

I believe this is a breach of my identity and identifying information and am worried about this. I have contacted the mailbox company and expressed the seriousness of my concern, yet I am awaiting action

Please let me know if there is some action that I can take.

Thank you!
Andrew

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Have you tried to talk to them and ask them if they'd remove it, or at least change the name? Maybe draw a goat-t? What is the web site so we can check it out?

[jasonamd]

I don't know if I would consider it a breach of your identity and identifying information. A name and basically a PO box address...what is someone going to do, send you junk mail? If you are worried about that, don't ever buy property. Your name and address as well as the value of your home is available for anyone on the internet to see.

I think all you can do is ask them to remove it.

[andrewmillichamp]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I discussed this matter with the online chat agent at the vendor as well as emailed the vendor. I have not received a response to my email, however the online chat agent did manage to edit the image to have my name blurred.

However, I am still concerned, as the image on the landing page of the website shows a photo of my actual maibox at the vendor, and shows a piece of mail addressed to me, in which my mailbox number is still visible, although my name is now blurred.

I informed the chat agent that I was still concerned with them displaying a piece of my actual mail and that my mailbox number was still visible.

I am attaching a screenshot.

Is there course for further action?

Thank you,
Andrew

[DanielWayne]

If it shows a piece of mail addressed to you then it could be a concern. Imagine if it's junk mail for a credit card - it's possible with a few persistent phone calls they could narrow down the postbox to your name despite it being blurred. Then they could place a phone call to the originator posing as you. People have done some really creatively bad things with just a name, a few clever phone calls to amazon or apple cloud services, and a few good guesses. Google it if you don't believe me. I understand this may be no more information than what you can find in a phone book, but you would be amazed at what an enterprising and persistent hacker can do with just a few bits of info.

I once retrieved my bank account info over the phone from a bank in another city that I hadn't used in a decade. No bank number? No problem if you happen to ask the right person. Just name and old address. That scared me.

See if they will remove your address completely. If not then refer them to a link like the Justice Dept. page on identity theft to get their attention.

[jasonamd]

Don't see what the issue is now that they removed your name. What are you worried about by having an address visible...that no one knows who it belongs to? You can pull up a entire database of names and addresses with very little information from county CAD web sites. If identity theft was really a problem from just having a name and address you'd think you would hear a lot more about it and that information wouldn't be public.

[crone]

Or register to vote. You can get your name removed from HCAD and the registered voters. IIRC, anybody looking can also find out if you voted, all while in their jammies.

[andrewmillichamp]

Thank you for the suggestions so far!

Andrew