Posted by Sandra G Holland on 3/29/13 9:44pm
Msg #463745

This is a scary thought.

I bought a new SD card and put a half-dozen pictures on it. Then it started staying in the locked position. I would yank the little part in the other direction, and could feel it in my camera going back into lock. I have never, ever had something like that happen before. I would push it tighter against the other end of the little hole it goes in, and could still feel the thing going back. When I got to the screen, it said to go to somewhere in the camera, which I clicked on, but it would never work.

So I took the SD card back where I got it and insisted on a different type of SD card with the advantages I always like. Then I insisted that they let me break the old one. "We have to return it," they said. "And I am going to break it," I said. Why? Because it had a social security card on it from one of my signings. While it is probably possible to get the information off, I felt it unlikely anyone would try after it is broken. I couldn't delete anything beforehand because I couldn't get it in my camera in order to do the deletions.

If I have to photograph someone's ID, I tell them that I promise that within three days, it will be deleted. I feel that is enough time for the companies to have whatever they need. Only one person insisted upon seeing my ID, and he quickly copied my driver's license number on his envelope without asking. I was a little perturbed by that, but I let it go.

So in this technological age, there are many things which can go wrong that could compromise someone's identity information. This messed-up SD card with sensitive information was one of them.

Reply by Sandra G Holland on 3/29/13 10:06pm
Msg #463746

On the camera screen, it said, "Go back to Review." I couldn't remember that word earlier. There was no review.

Reply by ToniK on 3/30/13 7:35am
Msg #463758

Im not taking pictures of anyones information. They can fax that information on their time if they dont provide a copy of it at the table.

I personally would never let anyone photograph my SS card.

Reply by bagger on 3/30/13 8:37am
Msg #463763

this topic is being bantered around quite a bit lately.

So, you won't let anyone take a picture of your DL or SS card, but you WILL photocpy them and hand that photocopy over?
What's the difference?

Reply by Sandra G Holland on 3/30/13 9:05am
Msg #463764

Re: this topic is being bantered around quite a bit lately.

Think a moment and it will come to you. We are in control (or we thought we were). I guess it's a secret that we are in control. Ha.

Reply by bagger on 3/30/13 9:34am
Msg #463765

Re: this topic is being bantered around quite a bit lately.

I fail to see the difference between having a copy on my phone(camera) and having a hard copy.
Once I get home, I could copy the hard copy and do the same amount of damage as if I used the copy on my phone.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 3/30/13 10:24am
Msg #463768

That's assuming you take the hard copy home

instead of sealing the package at the table and dropping on the way back.

IMO it's like this - there's a difference in collecting a hard copy at the table for the lender and incorporating it into the package to go back as opposed to taking a pic with your phone. The phone pic makes it more personally yours on your phone to be retained there. Someone takes a pic of my license on their phone I'm wondering how many more they have on there. And a copy of my social security card too? I don't think so.

I wouldn't do it. Let them fax a copy to title/lender and let them be the custodian of their PII.

JMO

Reply by bagger on 3/30/13 1:36pm
Msg #463792

Uh Huh, so how do you handle

Investment property, or any package requiring faxback?
And, just because you "sealed" the FedEx package doesn't mean you didn't open the pack, remove and copy the ID, then resell and mail.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 3/30/13 2:12pm
Msg #463793

I've been fortunate...my regular packages don't

require faxbacks; investment and purchases I've had the luxury of having a fax machine on site so accommodate. I can count on one hand the number of times I've had to fax back from home.

Reply by ToniK on 3/30/13 9:54am
Msg #463767

Difference is I'm not photocopying anything of mine (I'm not refinancing nor applying for a mortgage). So there you go. I'm talking about the BO providing their own photocopies to include in package WHICH I seal right in front of them. Or they can fax it directly to title.

I'm not placing anything on my phone or SD card other than my personal family pictures.

Reply by jba/fl on 3/30/13 10:32am
Msg #463772

Just because you seal it in front of them doesn't mean anything as you still have control of the package and could reopen it.

I am not implying anything by this comment...but you can see the fallacy of that remark.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 3/30/13 10:48am
Msg #463776

Re: This is a scary thought....my thought

if they voluntarily give you a complete, clear copy of their photo ID, then that's on them and they've basically consented to you having it. If I take a photo with my phone or camera? Different story.

JMO

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 3/30/13 1:08pm
Msg #463789

To me, the scary part is that notaries continue to photograph things like ID and social security cards. It's just trouble waiting to happen, and this is one good example of how that can happen.

If the borrowers want to supply hard copies or send them directly, that's on them... but I refuse to have the information anywhere on my person. Loan docs are stored on secure drives that can only be accessed with a double password system, which include biometric data, and I regularly wipe those drives using tools that truly wipe the data... deleting files alone won't always do it.

I do carry a portable photocopier for the times that a copies need to be made, but it is an analog copier with no hard drive to retain any memory of what was copied. (Canon PC-170).

Reply by Sandra G Holland on 3/30/13 8:53pm
Msg #463827

That is useful information, Marian, and is one reason that I posted this. Can you give us more detail on how you wipe the drives, please?

Reply by BrotherOwner on 3/30/13 10:26pm
Msg #463840

Re:The data is still there on the camera card/phone memory +

it is easily forensically recoverable, even from two pieces. Even when "deleted" the DATA is still there, it has just been "denamed", NOT gone. Google "DOD (Dept of Defense) secure wipe" and you'll have more reading and opinions about destroying data "securely" than you'll ever want to know (or understand!).

Reply by Sandra G Holland on 3/31/13 12:34am
Msg #463849

Re: Re:The data is still there on the camera card/phone memory +

I had heard that they were "there" in the sense that it is possible to see the spaces where they were and that the numbering system does not go back to the beginning. I did not realize that they are really "there" and just invisible, somehow. I'll google (I prefer dogpile.com--the site but not the name.) as soon as I get the chance.

Reply by VT_Syrup on 3/31/13 9:45am
Msg #463867

Re: Re:The data is still there on the camera card/phone memory +

All computer file systems, whether it's a PC, Mac, Smartphone, camera, or scanner, have a directory. The directory lists the name of the file and the sectors on the disk (or block in a flash memory) that contain the data. The sectors in the directory are reserved for a particular file. To delete a file, the operating system removes the directory entry, but doesn't do anything to the sectors that hold the data. The sectors are no longer reserved, and eventually they will be used for some other file. But until the sectors are overwritten with a new file, the old data can still be read. It's sort of like a chalkboard in a high school classroom; the teacher probably won't erase it at the end of class, so the data will be there until another class is scheduled for that room and the later teacher erases the board and writes new data.

One program that is mentioned frequently on this board is CCleaner, which has a disk wiper. Just click "Tools" on the left edge and then "Drive Wiper". It takes a long time. My laptop takes 24 hours to wipe the drive. And don't forget to delete your older backups, and wipe the backup drive. How to do that could be an issue if you use cloud backup.

I understand that flash memory is stressed by read/write cycles, so if you did a lot of wiping, it could reduce the life of the flash memory. But they're cheap, and if you only do it once a week or so, and only do one pass, I wouldn't expect a problem.