From: 74020.2145@CompuServe.COM (Paco Xander Nathan)
Subject: on the subject of hacking..
Originator: riddle@aahsa.tic.com
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Submitted-By: 74020.2145@CompuServe.COM (Paco Xander Nathan)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 05:02:07 GMT

Dear 2600 Editor:

Congradz on a cool 9:2 issue; 2600 has to be the most relevant zine in press. 
I've got a request for help..  Nothing drastic, but my credit is getting 
hacked by a major corp.  Used to work for Motorola, doing s/w for new chips.  
When they started drug testing, I spoke out along with others and filed a 
lawsuit.  Eventually, we won the suit and eventually I quit.  But in the mean 
time, Moto also pulled nasties like losing paychecks, making drug accusations 
while I was under cross-examination, having an exec "remind" me that people 
can get "hit" for only $300 in this part of the country, etc.

Over a year later..  Just after participating in a second lawsuit against 
Moto, I got a notice from AMEX about "my new credit card".  I hate AMEX and 
never do biz with them.  Sure enough, a card had been issued in my name and 
the papers came from Motorola, applied for by one of their local managers five
days after my second suit had been filed.  The friendly credit manager is:

        Rex D. Crocker
        13307 Broadmeade Ave
        Austin, TX 78729
        512 928 6488 wk
        512 258 2608 hm

I got the card stopped, no charges on it so this won't cost me $$$.  I checked
with AMEX and they claim it's all my fault because I'd been a Moto employee 
and had given them my SSN for tax forms.  Rex & Co. claim it's just a database
error and that all employees were 'sposed to get corporate cardz, my employee 
records hadn't been purged, etc.

The above statements may be true, but they lead to interesting questions.  
First, I'm more than a little pissed that Austin PD wouldn't even listen to 
the case, AMEX won't reveal my credit application forms and so far no lawyer 
will even touch this issue w/o major bux, which I can't afford.  If you or I 
had hacked some corp exec's credit this openly, we'd be in a jail now.  Ergo, 
a nuther example of corporate immunity from laws designed to nail individuals.

Second, how many YEARS have to pass before use of my SSN by a former employer 
is no longer considered a "mistake" ??  Can all of my former employers file 
credit applications in my name w/o legal recourse, ad infinitum?  Are there 
federal statutes which apply against the keeping of database records for 
"fraudulant purposes"?

Third, should I just drop this and catch up next time it happens?  I mean, I 
can file an AT LAW suit for a "cease and desist" order against Motorola's use 
of my SSN w/o a lawyer, but are there any other actions recommended?

I realize this may not be quite your domain to answer Q's, but I thought you 
might be familiar with the issues..

Thanx -

pacoid@well.sf.ca.us

PS to EFF list: this isn't exactly a computer problem, but the underlying 
issues of SSN use, credit access and related laws seem appropropriate for 
discussion here as well..  Thanx for listening.

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