GuardMyCreditFile rips feds over looming privacy crisis
Jim from GuardMyCreditFile has written several posts lately about the bill winding its way through Congress. In this one he makes an argument that the California breach notification law (which would be wiped out by HR3997 as its now written), actually has improved some business practices, for example, ABN AMBRO moved from sending data by tape to credit bureaus to secure electronic transmission. Jim goes on to skewer what he calls The Great Congressional Sell Out. Then he asks “Has the federal government declared war financial privacy?” because the IRS looks to be opening loopholes for folks to get your personal data.
The latest indicator of this is a proposed IRS rule change that will allow your tax preparer to sell you tax data – all of your tax data – to the highest bidder and leave millions exposed to identity theft. Under the new rule, your tax preparer would be aloud to ask you to sign a permission slip, allowing the sale of your data. While consumers would have the right to refuse, the change would open up a Pandora’s Box of abuse opportunities.
Comments