Privacy Foundation: Richard Smith’s Tipsheet – The FBI has your file…
“…The FBI spent $8 million last year with a company called ChoicePoint Inc. to buy dossiers on almost all adults who live in the United States. ChoicePoint, formerly a part of credit-reporting giant Equifax, is a publicly-held database firm with a market value of $2.25 billion, based in Alpharetta, Ga.
Using our Social Security numbers as a key personal identifier, ChoicePoint compiles dossiers on citizens from credit reports, and from public records such as court files, property tax documents, business incorporations, and professional license applications. ChoicePoint bundles the information and resells it to business and government clients. The FBI is apparently such a good customer that they get their own website to access the database…”