How private is our privacy?

1. 76

   CraftytotheCoreposted 11 years ago

   How private is our privacy?
   
   1) When you sign up for a store card, most places have a disclaimer which states the store respects your privacy and your information will be kept confidential. 
   2) What about when you go to a hospital?
   Recently, in both situations, my privacy was not respected.
   What are your experiences? 
   Do you have the same name as someone who you are friends with and instead of going by your identification, these places go by your name without regard to your street address or any other information?
   I received a hospital bill for someone who has a sister with the same name.  Imagine that!

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2. 90

   Faith Reaperposted 11 years ago

   Yes, I have had several occasions when my privacy was violated.  I have a common last name, but my first name is not that common, so I thought, but believe it or not, every single doctor I have, all have one or two patients with the exact same name, first and last.  The only way I even found out, was one time when my OBGYN asked me, while looking at the file in front of him, years ago (now, I am glad he asked, for I never would have thought ...) if he was the one who performed my hysterectomy!  After I put my eyeballs back into my sockets, I told him I never had such!!!  He asked me, was my name so and so, and I responded, yes, but unless he was a magician and did such without my knowing, I never had such!  Then he asked me for my date of birth, and alas realized he had another patient's file!  I found out, he actually had two other patients with the exact same name, and even the name middle initial!  Since that day, I ask each doctor if they have MY file and I double-check the information they have to be sure!  Wow, what if he would have prescribed some medication or decide to do some sort of medical procedure by looking at the wrong file.  I even found out that there are five other persons working in the same field as I do with the same name.  Yikes, and my name is not even that common, at least I did not think it was, so those who have very common names, well, really all, need to make sure to check in all areas of one's life, especially on one's credit report with all three major credit bureaus.

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   1. 76

      CraftytotheCoreposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I don't have a common last name.  My first name is sort of common.  Most recently my personal info was given out to someone who applied at the grocery store where I shop.  They have the same name.  The store didn't check the ID.

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   2. 90

      Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Oh, my purse was stolen once and the person who took it back then from underneath my desk at work, and actually cashed my paycheck at a store using my social security card for ID, and the store called me, because I had a stop payment put on it.

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   3. 76

      CraftytotheCoreposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Oh, that's terrible. I'm so glad the grocery store called!  I received a hospital bill several months ago in someone else's name entirely because their sister's name is the same as mine.  I had to fight for 2 months to get it cleared.

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   4. 90

      Faith Reaperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      My goodness, what an ordeal to go on for two months!  Yes, I told the store that they should have gotten photo ID, and they said, they sure did sign my name just like on my social!  I never carry my social any longer!!!

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3. 82

   jellygatorposted 11 years ago

   Privacy? I don't think there is such a thing any more.
   
   Even if you normally "opt out" of sharing your information, you don't always get a chance to. There is *so* much information available about anyone available if only a person knows how to go about getting it.

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   1. 76

      CraftytotheCoreposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It's really a scary thing.  I think about the places I once worked.  My info is still out there.  Thank you so much for answering!

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4. 68

   BlocksNGunsposted 11 years ago

   The truth is that you will never have 100% privacy when doing something online. I can't judge things like going to the hospital, but I know for sure that IF the government wants to check on you, they can do so. They can see what you search for and download (not yet speaking of illegal hackers).

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5. 45

   DDEposted 11 years ago

   I haven't experienced such issues but for those who do and yourself as mentioned I think it is totally wrong for your information to be disclosed.

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