As previously reported Russell Crowder, and Robert McGinnis, from FictionalUniversity.Com accidentally discovered a major online security breach, that if released to the public could potentially cause mass identity theft problems overnight and throughout the United States.
Russell, immediately reported the problem to US Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s office in Lakewood, Ohio. On 01/31/08 Russell Crowder, was notified that the problem had been fixed. Now, that the security breach has been corrected they can release what the breach was, as well as how it was discovered.
Russell Crowder, a former veteran police officer received a call from his friend and business partner Robert McGinnis, from Euclid, Ohio. Robert, told Russell, that has was having a major problem with Identity theft and then he explained what was happening to him. Russell, then started a private investigation and found that someone was intentionally changing Bob’s, mailing address with the intent of stealing his information, applying for credit cards, etc.
This puzzled Russell, somewhat because he could not figure out how this person was changing Robert’s address so easily. He then went online to see what USPS’s protocol was for changing a mailing address. To his complete surprise he found that there was absolutely no protection, from anyone changing anyone else’s mailing address. To explain this in laymen’s terms how USPS was conducting this part of their business, people using the web site to change their mailing address could potentially change anyone’s address without showing any physical proof that they were in fact that person. This means that potentially anyone could send your mail anywhere without showing any physical proof. The Actors AKA Bad Guys could have used this simple security breach to their advantage by intentionally destroying other people’s credit and or mass identity theft, etc.
USPS, corrected this problem by making it their policy that anyone who changes their mailing address online, must pay $1.00 using a credit card in their name showing their old address. We believe that the small fee is well worth the piece of mind.
Russell, & Robert, were offered a lot of money for this story, but refused to release the information to the media until the problem was physically corrected.
Thank God there are still people in this world with morale’s!
HDSU Writer Tony Manario