Crooks are Getting Enough Information from
www.anybirthday.com to Commit Identity Theft-Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
This message says that a friend of the writer got a warning from the IRS about www.anybirthday.com and that criminals are using it to steal personal information and Social Security numbers. It says that the crooks can get the birth information from the site then for a fee, can get an “advanced report” with Social Security numbers. It suggests that you use the website’s “opt-out” function to have your information removed.
The Truth:
The website www.anybirthday.com collects birthdates from public information sources and if you visit there, you can find a surprising number of people’s birth dates. According to the site, all the information comes from records that
anybody can have access to if they know where to look. Anybirthday.com denies that it gives out Social Security numbers under any circumstances, free or paid. It does offer an “opt-out” page for anyone who is uncomfortable with their birth date being on the site.
There is no evidence that anyone has gotten Social Security numbers from the site and identity theft would require more information than is available from www.anybirthday.com.
If a person’s city and birthdate was enough to jeopardize a person’s personal records and identity, celebrities would be in big trouble. Most of their places of residence are known and their birth dates are freely published in almanacs, newspaper columns, and on the Internet.