AUTHOR: S_Carver on 11/16/2025 FIRST: mytimetotravel on 11/16/2025 | RECENT: rgscl on 11/23/2025
Comments
Nick, For a great deal on a computer check out the dell outlet https://www.dell.com/en-us/dfh/lp/outlet. I’ve been using it for decades to keep my family equipped. Some of the products only have cosmetic case scratches, others are overstock or end of line new products (e.g. Latitude 13” 3000 (3340) Laptop or 2-in-1, $280, MSRP $1324).
I happened to be going to my primary care provider today and so I asked the front desk receptionist if she could remove my social security number from their records. She was unable to, so she messaged a person in the back office, and they immediately removed it. The receptionist said to me that they no longer ask for SSNs. Great, but the thought of generating a list of all the physician offices we have visited in the last decades, then contacting each one is daunting.
I choose to use a password manager vault system (I use Bitwarden now after several years using LastPass) because then I am not tied to one device system (e.g. apple) or one browser (e.g. google or firefox which offer to save passwords). Also, the vaults like Bitwarden can do much more than save passwords. Saving important and confidential notes such as family SSNs, driver license #s, & details related to a site login. For example, on my credit freeze logins I have a note of the PIN I need to unfreeze the account, and where the one time code for login is sent (text, email, or authenticator app because some sites just say “code sent”). I am also trying to learn how Bitwarden can save the more secure account passcodes, similar (I think) to a Yubikey.
If you lose your apple device, you can go to a friend’s device or any sort, and access critical information you need by logging into the website vault of the password manager you use. I couldn’t live without my vault securely storing all this information for me.
rgscl, Thanks for this reminder. I had forgotten I had a chexsystem freeze also (likely learned from you in an earlier HD comment). So I spent a bit of time getting back into that account to check it because I had not recorded WHERE the one time code is sent during login (to my text messages, to my email, or to an authenticator app?). What a tangled web we weave.
Humble Reader, thanks for your many good ideas, most of which I am doing, although I will review usernames and make them more random as well, I’ve only made them completely random in a few places. I will look into whether I can have an alert on property records with our county. The ideas of ”do not read text from any unknown number; & do not listen to voice mail from unknown number” are tough because I’ve noticed often legitimate companies I work with will send me a message from an automated system that comes from a number which is not the phone number I have for their office. Once I know the message number is tied to the company, I can enter it in my contact list as “Mssg from XXX”. But me reading or listening to it once is needed to determine this. Do you know if I read a text or listen to a message if the sender receives verification that I did so, and so that action can verify the phone number works if the sender is a spam source contacting random numbers? As Kathy also suggested , I will be more aware to questions when anyone requests Personally Identifiable Information that is not legally required.
Quan, thanks for your response. Fortunately, I previously had taken all the steps you recommend. Which leads me to agree with you that I don’t need anything further in response to the current event.
Kathy, thanks for your response. The radiology visit was several years ago so I don’t specifically remember, but I expect SSN was a question on the intake form. I had medical insurance so payment wasn’t an issue. I will remember your good idea next time that I don’t need to answer every question on the intake form.
Comments
Nick, For a great deal on a computer check out the dell outlet https://www.dell.com/en-us/dfh/lp/outlet. I’ve been using it for decades to keep my family equipped. Some of the products only have cosmetic case scratches, others are overstock or end of line new products (e.g. Latitude 13” 3000 (3340) Laptop or 2-in-1, $280, MSRP $1324).
Post: How to buy a laptop computer in an AI world
Link to comment from December 5, 2025
I happened to be going to my primary care provider today and so I asked the front desk receptionist if she could remove my social security number from their records. She was unable to, so she messaged a person in the back office, and they immediately removed it. The receptionist said to me that they no longer ask for SSNs. Great, but the thought of generating a list of all the physician offices we have visited in the last decades, then contacting each one is daunting.
Post: Another week, another data breech notification letter…
Link to comment from November 18, 2025
I choose to use a password manager vault system (I use Bitwarden now after several years using LastPass) because then I am not tied to one device system (e.g. apple) or one browser (e.g. google or firefox which offer to save passwords). Also, the vaults like Bitwarden can do much more than save passwords. Saving important and confidential notes such as family SSNs, driver license #s, & details related to a site login. For example, on my credit freeze logins I have a note of the PIN I need to unfreeze the account, and where the one time code for login is sent (text, email, or authenticator app because some sites just say “code sent”). I am also trying to learn how Bitwarden can save the more secure account passcodes, similar (I think) to a Yubikey. If you lose your apple device, you can go to a friend’s device or any sort, and access critical information you need by logging into the website vault of the password manager you use. I couldn’t live without my vault securely storing all this information for me.
Post: Beefing Up Security
Link to comment from November 17, 2025
rgscl, Thanks! I will do this tonight for my family members.
Post: Another week, another data breech notification letter…
Link to comment from November 17, 2025
rgscl, Thanks for this reminder. I had forgotten I had a chexsystem freeze also (likely learned from you in an earlier HD comment). So I spent a bit of time getting back into that account to check it because I had not recorded WHERE the one time code is sent during login (to my text messages, to my email, or to an authenticator app?). What a tangled web we weave.
Post: Another week, another data breech notification letter…
Link to comment from November 17, 2025
Humble Reader, thanks for your many good ideas, most of which I am doing, although I will review usernames and make them more random as well, I’ve only made them completely random in a few places. I will look into whether I can have an alert on property records with our county. The ideas of ”do not read text from any unknown number; & do not listen to voice mail from unknown number” are tough because I’ve noticed often legitimate companies I work with will send me a message from an automated system that comes from a number which is not the phone number I have for their office. Once I know the message number is tied to the company, I can enter it in my contact list as “Mssg from XXX”. But me reading or listening to it once is needed to determine this. Do you know if I read a text or listen to a message if the sender receives verification that I did so, and so that action can verify the phone number works if the sender is a spam source contacting random numbers? As Kathy also suggested , I will be more aware to questions when anyone requests Personally Identifiable Information that is not legally required.
Post: Another week, another data breech notification letter…
Link to comment from November 17, 2025
Bob, thanks for your thoughts. Agreed.
Post: Another week, another data breech notification letter…
Link to comment from November 17, 2025
Quan, thanks for your response. Fortunately, I previously had taken all the steps you recommend. Which leads me to agree with you that I don’t need anything further in response to the current event.
Post: Another week, another data breech notification letter…
Link to comment from November 17, 2025
Kathy, thanks for your response. The radiology visit was several years ago so I don’t specifically remember, but I expect SSN was a question on the intake form. I had medical insurance so payment wasn’t an issue. I will remember your good idea next time that I don’t need to answer every question on the intake form.
Post: Another week, another data breech notification letter…
Link to comment from November 17, 2025
Thanks
Post: Beefing Up Security
Link to comment from November 16, 2025