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1.  

   

   Cyen, Jan 7th, 2008 @ 2:21pm

   
   

   Officer Pick-O

   Jeremy obviously did not see this PSA from officer Pick-O
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqMPifZRCLw

    

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2.  

   

   PaulT (profile), Jan 7th, 2008 @ 2:48pm

   
   

   For anyone out there unfamiliar with Clarkson (I'll assume the Americans for one), he's a TV presenter mostly concerned with driving cars and commenting on how fast they go in various entertaining ways. I'm impressed (but not surprised - he's pretty loudmouthed) that he literally put his money where his mouth was, but certainly not surprised at the results...

    

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3.  

   

   SeattleGuy, Jan 7th, 2008 @ 2:50pm

   
   

   Cocktail Sticks??

   So Jeremy's idea of torture is drink umbrellas in the eyes. Sounds nasty and sure to extract revenge, but still better that Bush's waterboarding.

    

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4.  

   

   Pete, Jan 7th, 2008 @ 2:51pm

   
   

   Well that was nice of the thief to donate the money to charity instead of using it for something like beer and women

    

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5.  

   

   Anonymous Coward, Jan 7th, 2008 @ 3:25pm

   
   

   Re:

   Well at this point the fellow wasnt a thief. He was just taking up the challenge and doing a public service.

    

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6.  

   

   Stolen Me, Jan 7th, 2008 @ 3:31pm

   
   

   CEO ID not stolen

   Ok I read the other story expecting to see how LifeLock had failed. But it is merely that some lender failed to even run a credit check. If a lender totally neglects to run any verification does that mean your identity is stolen? Can they recover there money or affect your credit if they have never checked it at all? If so, that would seem to be the problem to me. Do they even have to lend you money to claim you failed to repay? That is all that happened in the LifeLock story and if that means their system failed them we have a very big problem of verification, but I don't see it as a LifeLock error.

    

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7.  

   

   Anonymous Coward, Jan 7th, 2008 @ 3:58pm

   
   

   This story actually made me happy. Usually when technology related stories appear, I get angry at the amount of stupidity, ignorance and sheer stubbornness that is displayed by the people involved.
   
   But here, he made a claim and was proven to be false, and he admitted his mistake publicly and didn't try to pass the blame onto anyone else.
   
   Even the "thief" in this story just donated the money instead of stealing it. It's more like he was just making a point that it could be done (£500 is, in all honesty, probably not that much money to Clarkson). These stories make me happy.

    

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8.  

   

   victor, Jan 7th, 2008 @ 5:38pm

   
   

   He deserved it but...

   this shouldn't have happened.
   Is it really possible to take some money from your bank account with just the account number? I mean, WTH?
   
   What kind of bank releases money without verification?

    

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9.  

   

   Rick, Jan 7th, 2008 @ 6:16pm

   
   

   Re: He deserved it but...

   All the banks release money without verification. All I ever need to start an checking debit online is my routing and account numbers, then I click submit. 2-3 days later, the money is paid out of my checking account.
   
   The gas station, fast food restaurants and drug store don't even ask for a signature anymore if it's under $25 on a credit card. Just swipe and go.

    

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10.  

    

    Brett, Jan 7th, 2008 @ 10:52pm

    
    

    ...until...?

    Actually the website still lists his SSN#. As mentioned in comments above some shady lender advanced money without even performing a credit check.

     

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11.  

    

    fuse5k, Jan 8th, 2008 @ 3:20am

    
    

    charity

    The reason why the money was direct debited to charity is simple. This charity is one of a few in the UK that will set up a direct debit without a signature. Even if the theif had wanted to remove money from the account for personal gains they wouldnt have been able.
    
    I think that this highlights more the fact that you shouldnt be able to set up a direct debit on an account without a verified signature, than anything else

     

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12.  

    

    Ferin, Jan 8th, 2008 @ 4:55am

    
    

    Actually Lifelock is stil running ads on tv with his SSN shown. I saw two or three of them this weekend.

     

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13.  

    

    Dolf, Jan 8th, 2008 @ 6:39am

    
    

    I remember watching an episode of Top Gear where this fool came to America to drive American cars. He sneeringly called Americans stupid. Needless to say that was the last episode I watched. It always pleased me to know that, in reality, he is quite inept, but having the world see it makes it that much better. On top of that he drives a Ford GT. Ignorant hypocrite.

     

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14.  

    

    judge, Jan 8th, 2008 @ 7:32am

    
    

    checks

    Why is this any different than writing a check to someone. I have to think you would need more than an ABA and account number to remove money. Every time you write a check to someone (groceries, gas whatever) that check has those two items on it. And now the keys to your finances are in the hands of some kid behind the counter? I don't think so.

     

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15.  

    

    JustMatt, Jan 8th, 2008 @ 8:18am

    
    

    All for show

    He calls everyone stupid, it is part of the act. And he sold the GT (but not to me, sadly).

     

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16.  

    

    Bank Accounts Australia, Jul 3rd, 2008 @ 2:09am

    
    

    bank accounts

    Compare leading bank accounts with Australia’s leading
    financial comparison web site, Credit world.

     

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17.  

    

    Steve, Jul 3rd, 2008 @ 7:39am

    
    

    Re:

    I am surprised that Clarkson had a problem with this - it must point to a fundamental weakness in the British banking system. Living in Europe it is so normal to publish your bank details: dentists, doctors, plumbers, etc etc sometimes publish several bank account owned by them to facilitate payments by customers INTO their accounts. In 20 years of living here, I have never heard of identity (or money) theft being a problem from published account numbers. Mind you, in a country where you can "prove" your identity with a gas bill ........

     

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