August 2, 2007

Dear Ms. Whittenburg:

Thanks for the follow-up. Kindly find attached front and back copies of the post card. -- Hope they help.

… The postmaster claims, to the best of his knowledge, the post office does not sell or give away mailing information. Also, none of State Farm Insurance correspondence to date contains "Address Correction Requested" on the envelope necessary to trigger such release of information by postal authorities.

If State Farm policy has indeed changed regarding address correction, it still makes no sense since we are directly in the middle of the six-month billing period and no correspondence was expected anyway.

While State Farm does not abuse customer information to the best of my knowledge, it is still quite disturbing if major corporations are now buying or given confidential mailing information by the postal system. If the post office is indeed doing this, the public must be made aware.

The readers of my unfunded non-profit publication would certainly be most interested if true. Regardless, careless disclosure and use of information by any parties are quite a problem due to identity theft. -- This writer is still personally dealing with the consequences four years after the fact.

Sadly, the perpetrator was Baptist Air Life. -- Had made the mistake of giving them a social security number while medicated and flown to the burn center after injured in a fire.

… Particularly, why I’m so concerned when your office includes a birth date on a renewal reminder, -- twice in the last couple of years. If the mail had indeed been stolen, the date, the name, and the mailing address are all that are needed to steal someone’s identity.

The saddest part of all is that the Pace Arrow, although idled periodically, has not been moved in the last several years. Yet, I’m paying dearly to keep it road-ready while the company truly has zero exposure. … Tough, isn’t it? J

Thanks for your interest and follow-up. Kindly advise Mr. Atkinson of this letter. Certainly, will inform Sen. Hutchison if the post office is indeed selling or giving away personal information. Not that it will make a damn bit of difference, anyway. J -- Then again, one can’t remain silent…

Sincerely,
 

Tim Chorney, Publisher
Liberty In Peril
Formerly, The Llano Ledger
P.O. Box 151
Buchanan Dam, Texas 78609