ANA Discussion Forum
AN Community => AN Community => Topic started by: dalern on September 17, 2010, 06:45:39 pm
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So, I got my mail today and there was an envelope from some company promoting a special new digital hearing aid for hearing impaired people. I flew off the handle because I wanted to know how on earth they would have my name and address. I doubt UCSD sells patient information. I also highly doubt that Cochlear sells patient lists. But somewhere, somehow, they knew my name and address and knew I had a hearing issue. They said I qualified for a big discount on this new device. I picked up the phone and called them. The poor lady on the other end got an earful from me. She said I totally understand how you feel, she had no idea how they get our mailing lists and she referred me to the corporate number in Chicago. It was almost 5 pm PST so I knew they were closed. I called anyway, but I was right, they were closed. Has this happened to anyone else? It really makes me angry.
~Dale
???
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Dale, wish I had an answer. I have a professional-state-issued license and get things in the mail all the time as some company will buy a mailing list based on my professional license. It's done all the time, irks me to no end and I just toss it away. Not sure in this case if its a HIPPA violation and for me, just my 2 cents, would be careful to whom you disclose medical info. I know hospital and dr's offices will have many sign something acknowledging reading the HIPPA agreement, but for 3rd party vendors (ie: if you go to a hearing device reseller, etc), not sure if any or all do the same.
Please be careful to whom you disclose personal (incl. medical) info.
I'm sorry to hear you ran into this.
Phyl
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I get these all the time--I think the link may be AARP. I get offers for all kinds of medical crap from blood testing clinics and lots of hearing devices. I think that you got on some kind of mailing list or other and they are sending these because you might be over 45 or 50. My husband gets them , too and he's never been to a hearing doc in his life.
Capt Deb
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Well, I'm 62, but it could be AARP. Never thought of that. I also have a professional license and get a lot of things pertaining to that as well. I NEVER give any medical information to anyone, and even give doctor's offices a hard time about needing to have my social security number! It's just eerie. It seems less strange (and does not make me as angry) when I get things related to my nursing license. Somehow, that doesn't seem quite as personal!
~Dale
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IMO it's definitely AARP or some other company that is smart enough to access public records, find out your age, and try to market products and services to you.
For years I used to get tons of stuff like this in the mail - in addition to information from nursing homes, retirement communities, and cemetaries - and I could never figure out why. Then I got a copy of my credit report.
My credit report showed that someone had mixed up my mother's birthdate with mine - since we have very similar names; she's Jane, I'm Janet. She's also a lot older than I am (I'll be 49 soon; she's almost 74). Once I straightened out my credit report so it reflects my real birthdate I no longer get information like this.
Jan
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I belonged to AARP and did get more mail stuff but quit as never felt was getting much benefit from belonging. Still occ get some mail but much less. I get mail due to my nursing license. What has really got me is that the month I retired from working is the time I started getting a nursing magazine which I did not ask for or have to pay for. Still am over 2 yrs later. I have no idea why as some other nurses do not. I did get some mail from a local hearing aid center which I am blaming on a co worker giving them my address as thinking that they thought I needed one! I could tell for some time when got mail due to mailing list from a magazine as there was a misspell in my name that was on the magazine too.
Cheryl R
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Dale -
Maybe a "spy" from that company logged on to this website and read everything you have posted here. They can see your name and where you live, and find your address that way. Same is true for all of us! We all post loads of info here, and anyone has access to it.
Nancy
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Could it be that they just did a mass mailing to a certain geographical area? I get stuff all the time for a company that sells diabetic supplies and no one in my household is diabetic.
I guess they figure if you send out a thousand mailings, chances are you'll get at least a few that are in need of the service they're offering.
I don't think I'd be too worried about it.
Lori
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Good points from all of you. Thanks.
~Dale
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Dale, actually, Nan may not be far off... look at your sig line... you may want to revise some of its info *hint-hint* Phyl
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Dale, actually, Nan may not be far off... look at your sig line... you may want to revise some of its info *hint-hint* Phyl
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... yup Phyl is right...you may want to take the personal info off of there... Quick google of the signature and full website of "legal nurse consultant" comes up in a second.
DHM
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I recently (last year or so), started getting coupons, mailings, etc., from Sears for their hearing aid concessionaire. I'm now 3 years post-op. I wondered how they knew? I also started getting AARP membership applications about a year ago... The first thing I thought.... gee whiz do they think I'm that old? Ha Ha....
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Personally I don't think "outsiders" are "copping" information from this Forum, but I may be naive.
There are so many places for people to get info about you these days. In this day and age of computers, public records are everywhere. A lot of the information is free; the remainder of it can be purchased.
Just owning a credit card puts you on an entire list of third party mailings. And as far as age goes, it's part of your credit history.
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Personally I don't think "outsiders" are "copping" information from this Forum, but I may be naive.
There are so many places for people to get info about you these days. In this day and age of computers, public records are everywhere. A lot of the information is free; the remainder of it can be purchased. Just owning a credit card puts you on an entire list of third party mailings. And as far as age goes, it's part of your credit history.
You're being astute, again, Jan. ;)
As a guy who grew up in the technological Dark Ages - without computers, cell phones, etc, I've adapted fairly well to most of the new technology. However, since 1997 when I bought my first computer and went on the internet I realized that, as the years went by and technology developed, 'personal' information was no longer going to be 'private' for long - and it wasn't. I just assume a lot of information about me is available to those willing to seek it out and there isn't a lot I can do about that. Of course I take precautions, as we all do, but at some point, you just have to accept the inevitable. That is why, along with time constraints, I don't sign up for 'social networking' sites, i.e. Facebook and I avoid signing up for newsletters and such. To be candid, I'm not seeking a job or a date so I don't need to use those kinds of sites, anyway. Like others, I have various e-mail 'boxes' for different purposes, none of them nefarious, I assure you. Of course, I never send out e-mail that I would be embarrassed by if it were to become public and I avoid giving my 'personal' information whenever possible. If I'm signing up to get a coupon (as my wife does) you don't need my birth date, my home phone number and my spouses name and occupation. If you want all that for some minor 'benefit', I'll pass.
So, as you correctly noted, Jan, there is little privacy any more - but we do what we can. Frankly, I'm not overly concerned about it, although, as our Brenda ('Brendalu') learned, identity theft can be a real hassle to repair.
Jim
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Wow! I've been astute twice in one week!!! ;D
Man, Lori is going to be soooooo jealous :D
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I suggested the "spy" because I was stunned that my very own boyfriend (ex, now) logged on to this site to read my posts.
Everyone knows that there is not much that will stop a company from digging up as much private info as they can, in order to reach their target. That's why so many weird entities ran credit checks on me this past year, in order to decide if I was a good "hit"..the info they garnered helped them make decisions about whether to send me pre-approved credit cards, pre-determined insurance amounts, etc...and I do not doubt that there are possible interlopers here, as well, looking for people who might need a hearing aid!
But that's just me...not paranoid, just very aware...
Nancy
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Man, Lori is going to be soooooo jealous :D
Show off! :P
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All of the points made previously are valid.
However, there are a lot of ways to "estimate" this kind of information without actually looking at any information that might be considered private.
The block-level census data is often used to develop mailings based on statistical estimates. If a company has a product that is geared to specific customer type, they can profile the likelihood of that type existing in an area. Through studying census data, combined with the additional surveys like the Current Population Survey or the General Social Science Survey, one can determine that there x number of individuals over the age of 50 and y% are likely to have hearing problems. Combining that information with public records like phone books recent home sales or real estate tax records, an organization can make some cost-effective mailings that are pretty well targeted.
Of course, some information they purchase. If you use a discount card at the grocery store, that is another potential avenue for information. Over the course of a year, your purchases can tell a "dataminer" a lot about you.
Jim's right - there is precious little privacy left in the world.
-Tod
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Tod - darn those statisticians! My auto insurance just increased because I don't have a credit card!!! How about that? ;-)
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Nanramone, I won't even touch that one. My car insurance went up because we let the insurance company know that my son had his truck at college. Out in the middle of nowhere Virginia costs me an additional $100/month. I suspect it has to do with the fact the county is moonshine capitol of the state, if not the nation.
But yes, it is all based on statistical likelihoods in order to balance risk and exposure.
-Tod
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My car insurance went up because we let the insurance company know that my son had his truck at college. Out in the middle of nowhere Virginia costs me an additional $100/month. I suspect it has to do with the fact the county is moonshine capitol of the state, if not the nation.
As a former auto insurance salesman I can tell you that the rise in your auto insurance premiums probably had as much to do with having a child under 25 on your policy than where his vehicle is located. However, as you correctly noted: "it is all based on statistical likelihoods in order to balance risk and exposure" - the basis of insurance 'underwriting' - so the location of your son's vehicle, as well as the age, make and type of vehicle (if he carries collision coverage) and his annual mileage driven are all factored into the premium. The underwriter probably saw the new location as well as the fact that your son is no longer living with you as increasing the risk of his having an accident and subsequently raised your premium. Had you not notified your auto insurance carrier about your son's vehicle being relocated (generating a higher premium) and had he filed a claim, it would have been honored but your policy might not have been renewed, so you did the legal, ethical thing but, as is often the case, doing the right thing has a cost.
Jim
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Jim, I'm sure you are correct. I did discuss this further and it was told it was substantially because of the location. And since I the truck is in my name, with full coverage, darn right it has collision. Quite frankly though, I have no doubt that the accident rate out there is quite high. It is about as middle of nowhere as you can get in Virginia with some wicked, nasty narrow roads. Topic for a different forum though.
tod
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Let me guess, Tod...he goes to Tech? That is pretty much the middle of nowhere! Perhaps there is a higher than average incidence of hitting a cow? :D
Lori
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Ooops, no Lori.
The Blacksburg/Christianburg/Radford metropolitan looks likes Manhattan compared to Ferrum. The town barely exists and Franklin County produces 3/4s of million gallons of moonshine each year...a good portion of which is sold to VT and RU students.
Tod
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Yes, then I guess he is truly in the middle of nowhere! Oh well, someone has to keep all those kids supplied with moonshine! :D