epic.org
 EPIC FOIA Notes

EPIC FOIA Notes #1
March 16, 2005 (National Freedom of Information Day)

CHOICEPOINT TOLD THE FBI IT COULD IDENTIFY LEGITIMATE BUSINESSES

SNAPSHOT [click for full document]

Click the image snippet for full document

THE DISCLOSURE
Formerly secret documents obtained by EPIC from the FBI reveal that data broker Choicepoint assured the nation's leading law enforcement agency that it could help identify legitimate businesses.

THE ISSUE
Whether Choicepoint has the ability to identify legitimate businesses. The company sells information to businesses and government on hundreds of millions of individuals.

THE BACKGROUND
In February 2005, it came to light that Choicepoint sold personal information about 145,000 consumers to data thieves posing as 50 fake businesses. Choicepoint's services include "Authentication Services," which Choicepoint says its customers can use to "perform on-site, online or off-line identity validation and confirmation for use in trusted transactions."

THE SIGNIFICANCE
The data brokerage company that sold personal information about thousands of individuals to dozens of illegitimate companies is providing services to at least 35 local, state, and federal agencies, yet there is still no law that ensures the accuracy of that information.

EPIC FOIA Notes

Subscribe / Unsubscribe

FOIA Links

EPIC Open Government
EPIC 2005 FOIA Gallery
National FOI Day
FOIA Advocates Network
PI FOIA Project
Open the Government
Freedominfo.org
Secrecy News

FOIA Publications

Litigation Under the Federal Open Government Laws 2006

Litigation Under the Federal Open Government Laws 2006

FOIA Documents

View the EPIC FOIA Gallery

About the Freedom of Information Act
The Freedom of Information Act establishes a legal right for individuals to obtain records in the possession of government agencies. The FOIA is critical for the functioning of democratic government because it helps ensure that the public is fully informed about matters of public concern. The FOIA has helped uncover fraud, waste, and abuse in the federal government. It has become particularly important in the last few years as the government has tried to keep more of its activities secret.