Information Sellers and Resellers

This book explores federal privacy laws, information resellers and their ability to safeguard all sensitive data. The growth of information resellers - companies that collect and resell publicly available and private information on individuals - has raised privacy and security concerns about this industry. Thus, financial institutions such as banks, credit card companies, securities firms, and insurance companies use personal data obtained from information resellers to help make eligibility determinations, comply with legal requirements, prevent fraud, and market their products. Some companies also use reseller products to comply with Patriot Act rules, to investigate fraud, and to identify customers with specific characteristics for marketing purposes. Furthermore, this book discusses the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which examined 1) financial institutions' use of resellers 2) federal privacy and security laws applicable to resellers 3) federal regulators' oversight of resellers and 4) regulators' oversight of financial institution compliance with privacy and data security laws.