Identity Theft in the Information Age, Part 3

THE DREADED DATABASE: Why to Keep Your Personal and Driver’s License Information Private and Safe

by Asta Dido

 I can remember as a younger man, in my salad years, one glorious summer day in the country traveling thru Intercourse, York and Lancaster, Pa in what is known as “Pennsylvania Dutch Country.” And, Oh Boy, I was tickled pink to send my friends post cards from Intercourse, Pa with humorous lines like  “hey baby, I’m home” and “virgin no more!” It was while in a roadside curio shop buying the cards is where I saw a sign with an with an Amish saying that, like a red hot branding iron, burned it onto my mind and remembered ever since. That sign read: “TOO SOON OLD, TOO LATE SMART!”

 Today, as a Senior Citizen, I know exactly what they meant! Moreover, if I did get a bit smarter and perhaps wiser at  age 74, I figure that if I have a healthy body and mind, I’m ahead of the game. I think the trick is to keep your mind active—to exercise it more vigorously than an Olympic Athlete would train his body. So, in my sixties I went back to college to take advanced computer science courses and I earned enough credits to get a New York State License to teach computers.

 I “Aced” every course except one and now I know why. That course was called something like “Managing Computer Databases 101” and as I got into it I saw something dark and sinister. I intensely dove into the course work—the hell with the silly & younger Prof—it was the knowledge and not the grade I wanted and was getting; so, I made up my own course work!

 What I learned is that almost every thing and every bit of data in the universe is somewhere in a database and spiritually there might be one fantastic database in heaven! Face it St. Peter needs to have information about us at the “Pearly Gates” and so does Santa to know who’s naughty or nice. It’s a stretch, I know but, think of it—think of all the government agencies local and national, of all the banks, insurance companies, marketing firms etc that have collected information on you and about you. Even George Orwell couldn’t have conceived of this near critical mass of information and data about us!

 Databases range from a simple one that you can make with MS Excel & Dbase III and higher and the cool one you get in MS Office called “Access” just to name a few. Some programs are so large and sophisticated that they have to run on super computers and others with computers hooked up in parallel that can handle trillions and trillions bits of data or 10 to the 12 power  ( or as we say in Italian “Momma mia, atsa biga number) bits per second of information ! Anyhow, whether correct or not it is like biting into ice cream and getting “brain freeze” or as the math freaks call it “number numbness!” Staggering just to think of this kind of computer speed and capacity.

 Now the simple sequence is A. pick the program, B. design the program to do what you want from it and then C. tediously enter the data. Then what you do is massage or “sort” for the information you want—people who eat whatever, do whatever, have whatever—you got the point. Sort through DNA, takes time but, no problem as many criminals now know. Sorting is an interesting subject in and of itself and one can make analogies to sifting or opening and closing gates and even panning for gold (and believe me to some this information is sometimes more valuable than even diamonds).

 Here’s where I’ve been leading: If someone has a grudge with you along with the knowledge to hack into and enter false information into a data base ( like the databases maintained by the New York State Dept. of  Motor Vehicles) and the information is about you or even if it is a common error like listing someone as deceased in a SS database you could be in for trouble with a capital “T!” Try convincing the Social Security Administration that you are still alive. Pure Agita!

 Your driver’s license has tons of critical information—speeding violations, DUI, suspensions and I’ve been led to believe even serious criminal  information and more; even your social security number—and I have been laughed at  for telling that to people! Now, there are laws Federal, State and Local about who and why someone can “run” your driver’s license. Look here:

The Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), Public Law No. 103-322 codified as amended by Public Law 106-69, was originally enacted in 1994 to protect the privacy of personal information assembled by State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMVs). The Drivers Privacy Protection Act safeguards the personal information of licensed drivers from improper use or disclosure. It is a valid exercise of federal authority in that it seeks to protect a fundamental privacy interest. It restricts the activities of states only to the extent that it concerns the subsequent use or disclosure of the information in a manner unrelated to the original purpose for which the personal information was collected. The states should not impermissibly burden the right to travel by first compelling the collection of sensitive personal information and then subsequently disclosing the same information for unrelated purposes.

 So, this is why, aside from official use, your permission is required for somebody to gain access to the information on your driver’s license. What kind of information is stored? Here’s a list:

 This information includes the driver's name, address, phone number, Social Security Number, driver identification number, photograph, height, weight, gender, age, certain medical or disability information, and in some states, fingerprints.

 There are serious penalties if one chooses to illegally obtain or make false entries—these are considered Criminal Acts. Are there those with the desire and ability to get into databases, any databases including  the NYS-DMV and your driver’s license—You betcha! And, you can bet they can screw you over silly and make your life miserable and worse—they can rob you, rape you and even murder you. Heck, they know where you live! How do you like these options? This is why they enacted the law in the first place--it stemmed from a series of stalkings/murder/rapes--"Trust me, trust no one!" Sorry, I have to use my first and only oxymoron for today.

 In doing the research for this story I had a conversation with the Commander of a local police precinct— this Captain is a real sharp and computer savy guy; he was easy to talk to and he’s a real cop’s cop and a leader but he wasn’t correct when he told me it’s impossible to crack “the system” and even when a license or registration is run there are restrictions and guidelines. He said something like the days when a friend who is a cop can get that information for you are gone and that if caught, they could loose their job. Sorry Captain, your knowledge and skill is why you are in a high position and why they pay you the big bucks but, I disagree. Perhaps I am a too soon old, but, now I am a much smarter chap who happens to be a computer geek. Maybe, and just maybe I know more about computers than John Law believes about probabilities and possibilities. I am also sorry to say that somewhere along the way I lost the ability to believe that there is “good” in everyone---there is in most but sadly, not in all. Keep your drivers lic in your wallet where it belongs and hopefully you never have to use it and do as your mother told you "wear clean underware in case you are in an accident!!!"

Asta Dido

Asta Dido is the Pen Name of Sam DiBernardo, Candidate for NY City Council, Dist. 32 Queens