Computers & Electronics

Closing accounts, what do they know about you?

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  • Oct 1st, 2014 12:15 pm
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Deal Fanatic
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Dec 15, 2007
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Edmonton

Closing accounts, what do they know about you?

How much of that information is encrypted or stored? Like if you change a secondary email, would they keep the "old" one as well? In the case of estores, would removing the bank information be sufficient?
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Jul 13, 2014
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Penticton, BC
It depends entirely on what kind of account, what you used it for, and what information you put through it. Are you asking about RedFlagDeals?

In the recent Target hack it came out that a LOT of the information that was stored and stolen was information Target was legally required NOT to keep. But they did anyway.

If you remove information from an account and then walk away,that doesn't remove it from their backups.
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Mar 31, 2005
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They are legally required to remove your info within a certain time period (including from the backups). That being said, I'd say most do not comply with this the way they are supposed to.
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Jul 7, 2013
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TotallyKiller wrote: They are legally required to remove your info within a certain time period (including from the backups). That being said, I'd say most do not comply with this the way they are supposed to.
You can force them to, but it requires threatening them with going to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. I can almost guarantee they keep all your info. You need to push them to remove it, but of you do, they will.

Bank of Montreal was particularity belligerent, they were the only ones where I actually had to go to the Privacy Commission of Canada directly, they are such an awful bank. They flat out refused, it's like they didn't care what the law said. Of course they complied when they were forced to, and sent a letter confirming. Such an awful company, I was shocked at how they treated consumer privacy.

Everyone else complied fairly quickly without me needing to get the Privacy Commission to force their hands. Usually just mentioning it is enough.

https://www.priv.gc.ca/index_e.asp

I highly encourage more people to take their privacy more seriously. When you go through these companies, you learn how much they don't follow the law unless you call them out on it. It's pretty disturbing.
“My biggest problem with modernity may lie in the growing separation of the ethical and the legal.”
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Jul 29, 2002
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Maximize wrote: You can force them to, but it requires threatening them with going to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. I can almost guarantee they keep all your info. You need to push them to remove it, but of you do, they will.
....
I guess you'll have to take their word for it. There's no way to verify that. With backup and storage technology these days, it'll be very difficult, if not impossible, to truly remove all traces of your information.
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Jul 7, 2013
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siriuskao wrote: I guess you'll have to take their word for it. There's no way to verify that. With backup and storage technology these days, it'll be very difficult, if not impossible, to truly remove all traces of your information.
Yeah. You'd think if that were the case then they wouldn't be so resistant to the request in the first place, but they usually are (especially BMO, wow). The letter of confirmation helps to, I request that (send in writing a confirmation that all information about me has been purged).

On top that, a little trick I do is call a random sales line, and innocently ask about my data/accounts in their system. This is how I caught a few of them. Also equifax is a good source to see who is still reporting your info to them as well, that also offers another form of verification.

Another thing is I have my SIN removed. 9/10 times it isn't needed.
“My biggest problem with modernity may lie in the growing separation of the ethical and the legal.”
-Nassim Nicholas Taleb
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Dec 15, 2007
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Maximize wrote: Yeah. You'd think if that were the case then they wouldn't be so resistant to the request in the first place, but they usually are (especially BMO, wow). The letter of confirmation helps to, I request that (send in writing a confirmation that all information about me has been purged).

On top that, a little trick I do is call a random sales line, and innocently ask about my data/accounts in their system. This is how I caught a few of them. Also equifax is a good source to see who is still reporting your info to them as well, that also offers another form of verification.

Another thing is I have my SIN removed. 9/10 times it isn't needed.
Can you please elaborate on last two points? Why would you give out SIN in first place? Even credit card signup don't need?
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Jul 7, 2013
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napoleon1769 wrote: Can you please elaborate on last two points? Why would you give out SIN in first place? Even credit card signup don't need?
It was weird, I'm not quite sure. Equifax had my SIN, which they shouldn't have. and following up it turned out BMO was reporting it to them (even though I had no products with BMO for about 10 years). This kind of investigative work turns up some weird stuff, I recommend everyone do it.

No one needs you sin number unless it's for Federal information. So for example, when you get a credit card, or a loan, or a savings account, you don't have to give your SIN (even though they always ask for it, it's not required). However, if you are opening a registered account (RRSP, RFSA, etc. then yes, SIN needed).
“My biggest problem with modernity may lie in the growing separation of the ethical and the legal.”
-Nassim Nicholas Taleb
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Feb 28, 2005
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fyi, Winners *requires* for you to hand over your driver's license or health card in order to do process a refund without a bill.

Very bad policy there.

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