Category: WTF?

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Complete EDD MEGA #FAIL

I know it sounds like I’m picking on the EDD but for fucks sake…

I Just got a bunch more paperwork from EDD. all of the paperwork has the same phone numbers on it.

The real crack-up is that one of the documents is a confirmation of PIN number request.

This one says “If you did not request a PIN Immediately call 1-800-300-5616 (English)”

This is the number that I’ve been dialing for the past 6 hours trying to get hold of a human being to find out what the hell is happening with my EDD claim and depending on those answers to potentially report fraud.

Of EVEN more amusement is that My Social Security number, phone number, and address are all over these EDD forms.

Which means that if one of these pieces of mail was to end up in someone else’s mailbox. It would be THE EDD that exposed me to complete identity theft.

I swear I can’t even believe the complete and utter incompetence I’m seeing. If someone was to call and use the automated system to change my mailing address they’d be able to take my unemployment payments and at the same time they’d be able to use my social security number at a hospital, or employer, or to buy a car or to open credit cards.

All of this thanks to the State of California.

Why the FUCK do we bother shredding every piece of paper, fighting to protect our privacy when BIG FUCKING BROTHER has no problem violating every rule in the book?

HIPPA regulations, which are enforced by the state PREVENT the exposure of this kind of personally identifiable information.

So why would the fucking Employment Development Department turn around and just publish this stuff on every single document they send out?

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No More PayPal and No More Ebay

Tried to Kill the PayPal account online… still had to contact them via phone. That account was locked out because the review process was still posted.

Got a nice lady on the phone that closed the account but even then she had to put me on hold a couple of times because the systems was fighting her about it.

While I was on the phone with PayPal, I was online with E-Bay killing that account.

You know, it occurred to me a while ago that I had a lot of internet accounts. In the case of PayPal and Ebay I used them so infrequently that I invariably had to look up the passwords and logins.

I don’t think they’ll be missed. If I find myself needing their rather questionable services again I’ll simply create new accounts.

Of course it is Friday the 13th… I’m having technology problems like you wouldn’t believe.

There is a cool breeze and a light rain which I’m enjoying.

 

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PayPal #FAIL

 

Actually it’s not PayPal that’s the problem.

It’s our wondrous Federal Government. Also known as the Assholes in Congress.

Could these people be any more out of touch? 

Apparently as of April 2012 the Federal Morons, have mandated that all Money Service Businesses must have on file customer verification information. 

OK… I suppose that having a PayPal account fucking LINKED to your checking account and / or credit card accounts isn’t enough!

I guess I can kind of get it… My PayPal account is over a decade old. By this time if there was anything nefarious about my transactions I’m assuming that I’d already be in prison. But for the paltry 200 or 300 bucks that has EVER been in the PayPal Account the Government feels they have the right to know all about that money and whose using it.

Supposedly the new requirements for Identification are to prevent money laundering and terrorist activities.

I could see it if there were 10s or 100s of thousands of dollars going through the account on a monthly basis… that might be suspicious. But for the average person of an established account? Come on give it a rest!

But the real kicker is this…

PayPal, in order to comply with the FEDERAL Gestapo is demanding that I provide them with the following information either as a FAX or Emailed Scan  of my Social Security card, My drivers License, and A paper utility bill.

Do you see the problem here?

We have well known National Banks, Insurance Companies, and even the IRS, who cannot keep this kind of information from ending up on the internet.

Yet PayPal is asking that we make it EASIER for them to lose this information and set ourselves up for identity theft!

SAY WHAT? You have to be fucking kidding me! 

You’re actually saying that I should just hand this information over to a company that I barely have done business with. A company who will not service ALL Vendors. A company who allows their narrow version of morality to dictate which transactions they will process, and I’m supposed to do all of this OVER THE INTERNET and trust them? I’m supposed to believe that the information will not be distributed to criminals because after all we all know how trustworthy and secure the internet is.

BUZZZZZZ! 

I’m sorry that’s the wrong answer, but thank you so much for playing and here’s your lovely parting gift.

We emailed you a little while ago to ask for your help resolving an issue
with your account.

What’s the problem?

As of April, 2012, new Federal Regulations require Money Service
Businesses, such as PayPal, to verify the identity of a customer before we
can provide various services or product offerings. As a result, PayPal must
ensure we have collected and verified important data such as customer name,
address, date of birth, and national tax ID or social security number.
Because we were not able to fully confirm your identity based on your
current account information, we need to request additional supporting
documentation from you.

You will continue to have full access to your PayPal account, but until we
are able to confirm your identity, we may be unable to process certain
types of customer initiated requests such as adding funds to your PayPal
account.

According to their message above, there is another option. I can choose not to give them this information and simply not transfer any cash to my PayPal account.

BUT that’s not good enough… I’ve spoken with PayPal twice, informing them of my choice NOT to have cash sitting in their hands. Instead I’ve chosen to simply use them on rare occasion to facilitate a transaction with someone that may or may not be above board.

Yet I’m still getting emails like the one above, Thus far I haven’t gotten any phone calls but I’m sure that’s only a matter of time.

The way I see this… I’ve got three choices

1) Ignore them.

2) Give them the information. (Not Happening!)

3) Close the account and not do business with them.

I’m leaning to option #3. I’d prefer one less account ID and Password to keep track of anyway. My credit cards are pretty secure and I’m automatically protected in the event of fraud. So why do I need a PayPal account?

OH yeah… for Ebay… Which I don’t use either! Humm. Maybe I can lose Two un-necessary accounts!