Student Financial Aid Database Being Misused

pin_gween writes "The Washington Post reports on the probable abuse of the National Student Loan Data System. The database was created in 1993 to help determine which students are eligible for financial aid. Students' Social Security numbers, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and loan balances are in the database. It contains 60 million student records and is covered by federal privacy laws. Advocates worry that businesses are trolling for marketing data they can use to bombard students with mass mailings or other solicitations. The department has spent over $650,000 in the past four years protecting the data. However, some senior education officials are advocating a temporary shutdown of access to the database until tighter security measures can be put in place."

Duh...

[dal20402]

O rly?

I would never have guessed that these guys had anything to do with the 2-3 student loan consolidation offers I get per day...

I'm sure my future, not just this article, is

from the six-soliciations-per-day dept.

The SSN is just a number

[flyingfsck]

I know *all* SSN, credit card, phone numbers and dates of birth and I'll gladly sell them to anyone at only 1c each.

It's not the abuse, it's the incompetence

[Aluvus]

This past week I (a college student, with financial aid) got a letter stating I was pre-approved for a loan of $3,500 on condition of proving I own a home.

I live in a dorm. At a school in another state.

Apparently their "prescreening" folks can't even figure things out when they have a large chunk of my personal information staring them in the face.

But you can surprise them

[Max Littlemore]

Then the phone calls came. I tell them all that I have already consolidated, yet they continue.

Hi, you called <me/>, first class provider of premium customer service coaching for dodgey loan consolidation services providers. Before we begin, I'm obliged to tell you that this call is being recorded for customer service and validation reasons and that by continuing to use this coaching service, you are agreeing on behalf of your dodgey loan consolidation service provider to be bound by the terms and conditions available online at <free_host_where_I_posted_an_outrageous_contract>. Also you are reminded that if this is a second call by a respresentative of the dodgey loan consolidation service provider you represent, you are agreeing their behalf to the conditions of our $250000 per minute premium service as described in section 3.6a subsection z of the contract found at <free_host_where_I_posted_an_outrageous_contract>, do you understand?

.....
If things get any further.....
.....

Thank you, but I have already consolidated my loans and I'm really not interested.

Now I would advise, in order to provide the best possible customer service, you hang up. If this doesn't work for you, please call back for a premium consultation. Have a nice day. *click*

Re:My stragegy for stopping the junk mail...

[L4m3rthanyou]

Why settle for simply doubling their mail costs when you could just duct-tape the return envelope to a brick and make it cost several dollars? :)

What you should have typed.

[techno-vampire]

I am still in college, and currently me and everyone I kno...

...flunks English.

Re:Only $650k?

[Anonymous Coward]

What's wrong with this picture?

All shock, no awe?

Re:My stragegy for stopping the junk mail...

[Anonymous McCartneyf]

Careful, or they'll send you applications that already have "Yes, please lend me money" checkmarked!

I'd buy that for a dollar

[Quiet_Desperation]

Based on the skills of some of our engineering new hires from expensive schools, I'd say the student aid itself is being misused.

Re:My stragegy for stopping the junk mail...

[DoofusOfDeath]

I am still in college, and currently me and everyone I kno

Best. Quote. Ever. :)