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Comment by c_prompt | Hacker News Reader

I just emailed this company at general@danalinc.com (which is the address stated in their privacy policy [1]) to remove all of my information from all databases/backups and to never collect it again. Came back undelivered with a 550 error (Recipient address rejected: Access denied).

[1] https://danalinc.com/privacy-policy/ - "Danal is committed to ensuring that the information we obtain and use about you is accurate for its intended purpose. You can contact us at general@danalinc.com at any time to review, update, delete or correct (for future use) your personally identifiable information maintained by Danal. We will reply to your request within thirty (30) days of submission. You can help us maintain accurate records by informing us of changes or modifications to your personal information."

Edit: For payfone: https://www.payfone.com/company/privacy-policy/ - info@payfone.com

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Received an almost immediate message back from payfone:

"Hi [my name],

While we should explain more clearly that these services are used to protect consumers from fraud, with one's consent, you can set up what you are asking about with your phone company. We can send you the procedures to do that. I'd like to go a step further and see if we can just opt you out entirely across the board. I should also note that we do note store any current or historical personally identifiable data. Hold on for more info."

As an aside, I didn't provide [my name] with my request - of course they looked it up based on the phone number provided.

>"While we should explain more clearly that these services are used to protect consumers from fraud."

So if my someone's phone is lost or stolen they won't be able to use their credit card or debit card? Wow that sounds like quite a service - losing access to your phone now means losing access to your money? So your card is blocked because of a fraud alert and you have no ability to call your bank or credit card company. You better hope you are not by yourself when this happens.

I would close or cancel any account or card if they ever put me in such an imposition as a result of using this service.

Roger responded a week later after I sent him a reminder note:

> ...thank you for checking in. We have notified your phone company based on the phone number provided, to opt you out. We do not store any of your data. So we have done what you have asked. Thank you.

And my mistake: although he may have, he likely didn't need to look up my name as I just realized the email account I sent it from included it.

CEO of payfone is attempting damage control on twitter @twtt

The email I received was directly from him: https://twitter.com/twtt

I mean, honestly, I don't blame these companies. I blame the carriers.

Blame them both.

They are willing accomplices and deserve all the blame.

"It's 4 security."

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