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I have recently discovered that UPS is using personal information that they should not have access to, including family genealogy and motor vehicle registrations, to "confirm identity". This is a huge violation of privacy by a corporate entity, and should not be tolerated.

I only discovered this when attempting to register so I could file a claim on a lost package.

The use of this kind of information is not disclosed in their privacy policies, and even if it were, they are obtaining it without consent given by checking any "agree to terms" box. God only knows how they're getting it and what else they have.

Their CS supervisor hung up on me when confronted about it.

Maybe this won't bother you, but it does bother me. I see it as unacceptable. I have reported with the FTC, and am talking to my state AG to see if these violations are prosecutable.

Just thought ya'll might wanna know before you give UPS any money.

Birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, and who is paying property taxes on what are public domain amongst many other types of documents. If you have ever googled your name you will find several websites that aggregated this information on your genealogy and offer it to you for a price. Or sites will list your name, address, and phone #. When i was researching my genealogy I would go to the Mormon temple because they have a vast organized collection (this was before the internet) of all these types of documents. Not the originals of course but either on micro fiche or other media. If they did not have a document there they had a pointer to it and you could order it to arrive there. Point is they had access to all this info because it is public information. not saying I'm comfortable with that but it has been that way for a long while.

Point is they had access to all this info because it is public information.

Motor vehicle registration information is not public, and for a very good reason. Just imagine how much vandalism, how many assaults there would be if you could find out where someone lived by googling their license plate.

Being hung up on by a supervisor when I queried this also does not suggest that they have engaged in a lawful practice.

I just noticed you said UPS. Not USPS

Ya I'm not down with that.

Though there is a very good chance UPS already knows your address.

Totally agree with you on the privacy issue, it's gotten absolutely ridiculous!

I know here in CA, one can go to the DMV offices and pay $5 or $10 a plate to obtain owner registration information. The only exceptions would be privately registered plates for police officers, judges, etc. that opt not to make their information public for obvious reasons.

I see this turning into a political thread and those never turn out good. I'm not going to try and convince anyone to vote the way I do, but I will say this. Please make sure you educate yourself properly about a candidate before you vote for them. Find out all you can about them and know what you are voting for before you place that vote. And when someone asks you about the same thing, please pass along this message. That is all.

Oh no, not politics!!!