[CQ-Contest] LoTW and security

[Jeff Stai WK6I]

At 06:19 PM 9/30/2003, Tom Osborne wrote:
>From: "Mike Gilmer - N2MG"
>> I have to explain this to eHam users on a regular
>> basis.  Without first snail mailing each new user
>> using his FCC address to verify the individual (which
>> we obviously do not do), we have no way to know that
>> W1ABC or N2MG or anyone else is whom they say they
>> are.
>
>I don't know about that.  Have you ever used paypal?  They confirm a
>persons address very easily.  They can also verify that a person is
>who he says he is, and they handle millions of dollars a month.  Seems
>like getting a QSL would be a lot easier.
>Tom W7WHY


Paypal confirms you 'very easily' by making deposits of small random amounts to your bank account, which you then confirm by contacting your bank and reporting back the amounts deposited. This is of course another example of out-of-band identity verification. (And when I signed up for paypal myself, it WAS easy because I could go online and check my bank account.)

But: I don't think paypal is such a great example - somehow, an 'info' email address for one of my domains has been registered to someone named 'wako porter' (I'm really not kidding!). I've sent several emails to paypal trying to explain that this email address belongs to me and not to this wako person - all have gone unanswered. Needless to say, I have changed passwords etc. for things related to this address...

I'm sure we could have the ARRL go thru our bank accounts to do verifications, but I think the postal service(s) are good enough in this case.

73- jeff wk6i


--
Jeff Stai               jds at twistedoak.com
Twisted Oak Winery      http://www.twistedoak.com/
Rocketry Org. of CA     http://www.rocstock.org/
Amateur Radio           WK6I