Rachel Maddow Pwns "Formerly" Gay Author Who "Cures" Gays
Video: Sad Subway Rant
Teacher Hot For Teacher In Brooklyn High School
VIDEO: Cycling Activists Repainting Bedford Ave. Bike Lane
Oh D'Oh They Didn't! TSA Posts Airport Screening Manual On Web
It's a Citi Habitats client's worst nightmare—and a dream come true for identity thieves. WABC 7's Eyewitness News discovered "Scores of documents"—driver's licenses, credit reports—"were found strewn on the street for anyone to pick up." Told of finding her info on the street, one woman said, "Just in the gutter? My life was in the gutter. That's nice" Though businesses are required to shred such sensitive material, Citi Habitats' West 82nd and Columbus location "accidentally" left 2006-2007 client documents on the street during renovations, and a statement said, "We took immediate steps. to investigate and remediate this isolated incident, and are notifying those customers whose information may have been compromised." But WABC 7 found in spite of Citi Habitats' "remediation," "We were still finding documents a block away a full eight hours after the clean up was over."
CitiHabitats Dumps Old Clients' Personal Data on Street
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebookComments (14) [rss]
Post a comment (Comment Policy)
Tips
Newsmap
Contribute
Latest Tip:
HOTTTTTTTTTTTTT.
Language teachers Alini Brito, Cindy Mauro caught by janitor having naked romp in
[more]
I bet this happens more often than we all realize. Although we'd like to think there's some 2600 Norwegian hacker breaking into your computer to steal your identity, more likely it's some shitty business like this one that doesn't really give a crap about your personal information, regardless of their "statement."
I'd bet green money that this isn't the first time they've done this, just the first time they've been caught.
Are these the guys that list the teaser apartments for low prices to get you in? I remember that way back in the late 90's when I was looking for a place. They would advertise an apartment relatively cheap, then you would call and they would say come in! You go in and they check and the apartment is no longer available. You tell them your budget, and they would show you apartments $200-800 higher then that. Lovely profession, right around car salesmen.
You've just described 90% of the RE brokers in NYC...Manhattan Apartments is notorious for showing photos on their website that are either not available anymore or they never even had the listing for.
One time they bait and switched us on an apartment and when the lady went in the other room of the crazy expensive apartment we ducked out and left her there.
Last time I saw them.
Don't use them.
It's illegal to dispose without shredding, I say PROSECUTE!
All the more reasons to hate brokers. They should all die!
My comment was supposed to be in reply to #2's statement.
It's always "accidental" when they're caught.
Just like Geithner.
I hope these guys get slammed, but not likely.
Reminds me of a lesson I learned when I moved into my first apt. in Manhattan. I was living in the west 80's and when I left for work I saw my garbage, old bills - canceled checks, flying around 2 blocks away on Broadway. The bums went through the garbage and everything just went...
BURN AFTER READING!
oh, and this article will surely deterr all would-be ID theives, because now that they know the stuff is out there on the street, they will ignore it.
You really do lose a part of yourself when you do business with scoundrels.
Typical of a Third World shithole country.
Enjoy.
Every business has dishonest and or careless people. Doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers, housekeepers. I will admit there are a lot of scoundrels in NYC real estate, but there are MANY more honest, hard-working people providing real estate services who are proud of the services they provide. We spend a lot of time learning neighborhoods and becoming familiar with the myriad housing options. If you don't need the service of a professional agent, fantastic for you; most people don't have the luxury of time when locating a new home and so hire an agent. The real issue is many of these "agents" aren't actually even licensed. Protect yourself and go to the New York Dept of State to confirm licensure.
About bait and switch, this is an illegal activity. Bait and switch is intentionally advertising a property that isn't really available (most likely not even a real property)and trying to switch you to something else. However, it is quite possible (even in a slower market)for an apartment to be advertised that is already rented. Often, landlords and owners don't want their apartments off the market until they have a signed lease.
I would dare say none of my clients have felt taken advantage of by me, be they buyer, sellers, renters or landlords. I say this because they keep referring people to me, or coming back to me for their own real estate needs.