TechCrunch reports on a new startup aiming to assist individuals in preventing identity theft. Civic sends users push notifications or text messages through their phones anytime their Social Security number is used during a transaction, allowing the user to stop the transaction immediately. Civic accomplishes this through its Identity Protection Network, a system of businesses collecting users’ personal data, including banks, financial services, or any other organization asking for an SSN. “You don’t get told when your ID information is being used, even if you use it yourself,” said Civic Co-founder and CEO Vinny Lingham. “There’s no feedback loop … If companies want to be responsible about using consumer data and especially Social Security numbers, the person who owns that information should really get some sort of notification.”
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