Can your checking account be found?

[OhioFiler]

What do you have to hide? My life's an open book.

[anykey]

..well this is where it is good to leave a fake trail now and then.

This all makes me think twice between trying to save the $0.94 to MO and stamp.

[ApresMoi]

I have read that in contrast to the U.S., Europe takes privacy matters very seriously. They just don't allow renegade, wild west activity by businesses who sell your personal info. It's regulated! Further, they have employment laws that actually protect their workers (in a big way). There, you can't get fired because your employer doesn't like you or the color of your hair. In the U.S., employers can treat you any way they like (with very few exceptions, mostly related to Federal discrimination laws) under 'at will' employment. The U.S. has a horrific and uncivilized employment system, imho, with plenty of employers flouting laws and treating workers as 'disposables'. They do this because it's legal. In the end, this becomes very, very expensive. When people lose jobs, they turn to public aid, and they turn to bankruptcy.

[frogger]

In the USA, there's almost no such thing as privacy

Leave out the world "almost" and your statement is 100% correct. There is no privacy, period.

[treehugger1]

I know a few folks in financial trouble who put fraud alerts on CR's after unknown CA's and JDB's began reporting and never honored DV's or never even contacted the individuals.

[ApresMoi]

This doesn't surprise me at all.

Similarly, any prospective employer can often find out your age (online) without even paying a penny. Let's say they look you up and find out you are 65. Think you'll get a call for an interview?

Mine info came up on a PIPL search, and on ZabaSearch. I paid ZABA about $20 to remove my info, which also removed it from a lot of other sites. PIPL is one of the few where I found my info still listed.

In the USA, there's almost no such thing as privacy, as the database search companies are not regulated by any laws with teeth. I contacted my Congressional representatives about this, and they acknowledged that this is so. Unless they hear a lot of kicking and screaming from their constituents (and perhaps changes to campaign finance laws), nothing will change. It galled me to have to pay ZABA to remove MY personal information from their public listings, but it was either that or constantly monitor lots of website and constantly write letters, as the info I had asked to have removed reappeared (sometimes within months) the next time these databases were updated. I think the ZABA removal lasts for only three years (don't recall exactly).

Individuals can also opt out of Lexis Nexis if you have been a victim of identity theft, and under a few other circumstances, such as if you are a police officer or hold other positions where someone might consider you are target. I opted out, as I was a victim of ID theft. They ask for a case number of other proof, but no way of knowing if they actually follow up.

When I put fraud alerts on my credit reports, I was not asked to provide proof of fraud, btw. I am in CA.

[forgotten]

This is all very interesting. I'm particularly wondering how they can get the AMOUNT in the account? ...seems like a complete invasion of privacy.

One way.. taking a bit of effort is to call a branch and say, "I have a check from one of your customers and was wondering if you could verify funds for me?" give them the account number and an amount and they will tell you if it is good.
Ask if a $5000 check is good, if yes, call a different branch and ask about a $8000 check, if no, call and ask about a $3000 check. You get the idea.

I've called and asked to verify funds before and never had a bank tell me no.

[ryan]

Here are the rates for a reputable national search firm:
Bank Account Search
15 to 20 business days
Locates one bank account for $299, with ability to locate multiple accounts for an additional fee. Nationwide search. Includes the following information:
** Banking Institution
** Balance in Account....

This is all very interesting. I'm particularly wondering how they can get the AMOUNT in the account? ...seems like a complete invasion of privacy.

[WhatMoney]

Here are the rates for a reputable national search firm:
Bank Account Search
15 to 20 business days
Locates one bank account for $299, with ability to locate multiple accounts for an additional fee. Nationwide search. Includes the following information:
** Banking Institution
** Balance in Account
** Exact Name(s) on Account
** Type of Account
** Banking Branch where Account was Opened
$299
$75 No-Hit Fee
Can Locate
Multiple Accounts
for an Additional
$199 – All Accts
Note they do not include account numbers, and have a no hit fee.

If your account/bank is NOT in ChexSystems, and is in NONE of the credit bureaus, not in Lexus/Nexis, and has NOT been obtained by illegal methods, then the chances of finding it in a legal database is slim. I am not talking about illegal databases where information has been collected by hacking, fraud, bribes, and pretexting. These still exist, but that was not the point of the Frogger's post, which implied any account could easily be found nationally for $2.95. This is BS unless proven otherwise.

It would be more useful to discuss how to avoid checking account detection (perfectly legal), than to suggest there is no hope despite all precautions.

[LimpDisc]

I am with frogger on this one. No doubt in my mind that this information is collected and available for a price. It's amazing how much information is available for for free by visiting certain websites.

[Pizza]

It seemed clear to me that in the end it could cost someone $1000's of dollars to act on information they had obtained; purchased for $2.95 or otherwise.

The sentence above is the most important part. Each action taken by a creditor has a price tag. Legally, they must obtain a court order for EACH checking account garnishment (for each TIME it's garnished). If the money isn't there, it's not going to be worth the time and trouble.

For some good ole fun, keep about $10 in your old free checking account that the creditor already knows about and open at a small bank elsewhere if you are required to set up direct deposit at work (keep that one spent down too - if you are broke it's not that hard). Naturally, the creditor will find out about the $10 account first and pay court costs to garnish it BEFORE discovering it's got $10 in it. It's unlikely they're going to want to play anymore after that, just keep an eye out for it so you can picture the next move.

[ryan]

...If you want to have fun, go apply for 20 different accounts; hometown, nearby city, online, etc! Encourage them all to run both a chexsys and credit report. Heck, you could even open up a few accounts and have checks sent to you, only to close the accounts in a few weeks. ...

I am actually in the process of doing this now.

[frogger]

If you want to have fun, go apply for 20 different accounts; hometown, nearby city, online, etc! Encourage them all to run both a chexsys and credit report. Heck, you could even open up a few accounts and have checks sent to you, only to close the accounts in a few weeks. Nothing illegal about this. IF people are concerned about leaving a trail of identity, then why not build a massive trail with all kinds of forks. Why not spread your identity all over the place?

Just hypothesizing here.

I agree.

[treehugger1]

In terms of the patriot act, as far as I know (and from speaking with folks in the banking industry) the act requires banks to verify identities and monitor suspicious activity. The banks do not send your information to some giant national database that reports to some government agency when you apply for an account. Some will check with ChexSys and/or credit reporting agencies. They are required to submit information under court orders, but this is not done as a normal course of business. There is the Patriot Act, but there is also acts related to the protection of our privacy. It would seem to me that banks are walking a thin line if they give out information to anyone who asks. It seems to me they only "report" actions that are considered suspicious.

If you want to have fun, go apply for 20 different accounts; hometown, nearby city, online, etc! Encourage them all to run both a chexsys and credit report. Heck, you could even open up a few accounts and have checks sent to you, only to close the accounts in a few weeks. Nothing illegal about this. IF people are concerned about leaving a trail of identity, then why not build a massive trail with all kinds of forks. Why not spread your identity all over the place?

When I looked at my LN report, there were bogus addresses, public records, and all kinds of BS. I was pretty happy to see that type of info. Who am I to correct them during my personal financial crisis. It seemed clear to me that in the end it could cost someone $1000's of dollars to act on information they had obtained; purchased for $2.95 or otherwise.

Just hypothesizing here.

[frogger]

[


Mentioning the Patriot Act does not answer my question, and I don't understand your comment about banks.

A bank no longer has the option to check and report your information. They are required to check and report. Go to any bank and open a new account. They want copies of picture ID.

The "great database" is the credit companies, ie equifax, lexis/nexis, check-s7s, trans-union, TRW and the many others that gather information. Information is gathered on everyone on a daily basis, from when you shop to when you open banking accounts.

And...... I don't wear a tin-foil hat or go for conspiracy theories. Information is gathered, and it is for sale.

And as to your previous question about where to go to find it, it is not in my best interests to start naming websites on the board. I deal with these people and will tell you that they are legit, and their companies provide this information to your creditors for a fee.

The websites that can be seen by the public do not go into the detail of what they can provide. Until you get the pricing schedules and the white papers, you just don't know.

As to the website you linked, that is a site devoted to check fraud. That is not the subject at hand. We are talking business use of information, not check fraud. Totally different subject.

If you choose not to believe, go ahead. I won't try to convince you otherwise. Believe what you will.