I just got a curious email from PayPal. It's not one of those smarmy little [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing phishing] expeditions, because it doesn't ask me for info. It simply states PayPal's privacy policy, and why they may or may not release personal information.
Why now?
I wish I would have checked to see if this "privacy policy" is different than the one I read when I first opened my PayPal account. Because, frankly I'm starting to get a little paranoid.
Should I close my checking accounts?
Should I cancel all of my online transactions?
Should I suspend use of all my credit cards?
Frankly, I don't want those bastards to know anything about me. Not because I have something to be ashamed of ... but because THEY do! I don't want my personal info being used by common fecking criminals (Bush Crime Family)!
Here's the opening to the letter I got:
Dear (Detroit Mark),
At PayPal, we value the trust you have placed in us by using our service to conduct your transactions online. Because your relationship with us is financial in nature, the protection of your privacy and prompt resolution of your questions is particularly important to us.
This Privacy and Error Resolution Notice provides you with information about how PayPal safeguards your privacy and how you can report errors or unauthorized transactions to PayPal. Under U.S. federal financial services law, PayPal is required to send these notices to you annually. The full terms of the PayPal Privacy Policy and Electronic Fund Transfer Rights and Error Resolution Policy are available on the PayPal website https:/www.paypal.com, which you are welcome to review at any time.
Then you skip down to the juicy parts where you find out WHETHER OR NOT PAYPAL HAS BEEN GIVING MY PERSONAL INFO TO THE BUSH CRIME FAMILY because let's face it ... that's all I really want to know right now. And the only detail I can find is this:
What personal information do we collect?
Information we receive from you.
When you open a PayPal account, we require certain information, such as your name, address, phone number, and email address.
( ... )
Agencies or authorities with whom we are legally required to cooperate. We may disclose information during the investigation of fraud or illegal activity. For example, we may disclose personal information in response to a subpoena, warrant, court order, or comparable legal process.
What in the hell is a "comparable legal process"?! Either you have a fucking warrant or you DON'T!!!
There's absolutely no reason to think they've been ransacking every file cabinet with your name and history in it, folks. Start asking questions now, or be sorry you didn't later.