URGENT ADVICE PLEASE!

[mozplay 29]

We all agree that the vulnerable account number needs to be blacked out, minus the last four digits.

Does it really matter if you block out the acct. #, since they can get all your info with the SSN anyway?

I'm not beating a dead horse here, really - I'm going to be going this pretty soon with David and I know he is VERY CONCERNED with identity theft.

Me? I'm Canadian - I'm trusting.

Mo

[Bruce n Jen 0]

Funny, I posed this question last Sunday, as I was wrapping up my package to send out. I had made copies of half a dozen credit card statements, having blacked out account numbers and balance amounts, and putting post its over the bulk of my charges before copying.

I woke up that morning looked at these copies and began to wonder if it was too much of a red flag "hiding" all this stuff. During the day I downloaded my online account statements for most of the months and reprinted them.

After talking to my fiance I went with sending the non-blanked out statements - my viewpoint: who cares what they see. My account numbers were x'd out on the online statements anyhow. Besides, thay have my SSN!

[Mephys 2]

I agree about the fact that if they have our SSN in hands, nothing else really matter.

As far as Im concerned, I blacked-out my bank account numbers on a paper and you could still read it with the right light reflection because of the type of ink the institution uses to print it.... Its almost glowing out of the black marker!

Like if it was worthed to...rofl

[SirLancelot 1]

William, you're very wrong on this.

Privacy needs to be firmly guarded/protected by the individual. The government is not in the business of protecting your privacy. You, as an individual, must do everything to protect your own privacy if you want to actually have any privacy.

BLACK OUT EVERYTHING unless it's ABSOLUTELY necessary. It's the individual's duty to protect his or her own privacy.

TomYu,

My first disagreement with your usual cogent advice. Everyone seems to have a significant level of paranoia about providing a bank statement or credit card bill, with extraneous information included.

The risk here is the account number, nothing more.

If one starts "redacting" the document, the value of it as evidence decreases exponentially.

For all contributors to this thread: What is the risk in leaving purchase information in the document?

We all agree that the vulnerable account number needs to be blacked out, minus the last four digits.

What USCIS wants is evidence of the visit, nothing more. I'm not particularly worried about identity theft. I WOULD want to make my partner happy. Thus I'd get out the marker for his benefit.

Tom

[William33 110]

Sirlancelot,

Well, you are in the minority. I have been cautious with my information, yet not paranoid.

Having used credit cards all over the world, my information has never been compromised.

Anyone who believes that sending USCIS their credit card or bank statement, with only the account number blacked out, is a bit paranoid.

I heard Macy's is running a sale on tin foil hats this weekend.

William, you're very wrong on this.

Privacy needs to be firmly guarded/protected by the individual. The government is not in the business of protecting your privacy. You, as an individual, must do everything to protect your own privacy if you want to actually have any privacy.

BLACK OUT EVERYTHING unless it's ABSOLUTELY necessary. It's the individual's duty to protect his or her own privacy.

TomYu,

My first disagreement with your usual cogent advice. Everyone seems to have a significant level of paranoia about providing a bank statement or credit card bill, with extraneous information included.

The risk here is the account number, nothing more.

If one starts "redacting" the document, the value of it as evidence decreases exponentially.

For all contributors to this thread: What is the risk in leaving purchase information in the document?

We all agree that the vulnerable account number needs to be blacked out, minus the last four digits.

What USCIS wants is evidence of the visit, nothing more. I'm not particularly worried about identity theft. I WOULD want to make my partner happy. Thus I'd get out the marker for his benefit.

Tom

[meauxna 15]

William, it's OK for people to disagree about this. Some people don't mind sending it all in for anyone to see, others want to black things out.

I say, have that be OK & don't invent paranoia that doesn't support your side, like "ooh, blacked out stuff must mean you have something bad to hide!". That's just as tinfoil hat as you see the other side being.

All that said, I blacked things out on evidence I sent in and no one asked a question, batted an eyelid or delayed my various cases in the least.

If it matters at all, perhaps it only matters to the individual sending the stuff in. If OP's fella wants it blacked, why not let him?

[Teachers 12]

TomYu,

My first disagreement with your usual cogent advice. Everyone seems to have a significant level of paranoia about providing a bank statement or credit card bill, with extraneous information included.

The risk here is the account number, nothing more.

If one starts "redacting" the document, the value of it as evidence decreases exponentially.

For all contributors to this thread: What is the risk in leaving purchase information in the document?

We all agree that the vulnerable account number needs to be blacked out, minus the last four digits.

What USCIS wants is evidence of the visit, nothing more. I'm not particularly worried about identity theft. I WOULD want to make my partner happy. Thus I'd get out the marker for his benefit.

Tom

You and I are both current/former government employees. We apparently have very different experiences in this realm. When I submit travel expenses, the department administrator and the accounting department EXPECT me to cross out everything that is not relevant. This does not reduce the value of evidence at all in my case. Your case may, of course, vary.

Second, note that my concern is more for the relationship. If one wants to maximize the chance of acceptance (at the risk to the relationship), send it in unedited. If one wants to maximize the benefit to ther relationship (at the risk of another RFE), edit away. I would tend to err in favor of the relationship. I think personal feelings vary substantially, which could naturally result in different trade-offs.

FYI - I had plenty of evidence without sending in any credit card statements, so didn't face this challenge.

Tom

Edited September 23, 2006 by TomYu

[William33 110]

William, it's OK for people to disagree about this. Some people don't mind sending it all in for anyone to see, others want to black things out.

I say, have that be OK & don't invent paranoia that doesn't support your side, like "ooh, blacked out stuff must mean you have something bad to hide!". That's just as tinfoil hat as you see the other side being.

All that said, I blacked things out on evidence I sent in and no one asked a question, batted an eyelid or delayed my various cases in the least.

If it matters at all, perhaps it only matters to the individual sending the stuff in. If OP's fella wants it blacked, why not let him?

meauxna,

OK, fair enough. Everyone has their own perception on this issue.

With that said, each person should do what is right for them. No right or wrong answers, just personal preference.

You and I are both current/former government employees. We apparently have very different experiences in this realm. When I submit travel expenses, the department administrator and the accounting department EXPECT me to cross out everything that is not relevant. This does not reduce the value of evidence at all in my case. Your case may, of course, vary.

Second, note that my concern is more for the relationship. If one wants to maximize the chance of acceptance (at the risk to the relationship), send it in unedited. If one wants to maximize the benefit to ther relationship (at the risk of another RFE), edit away. I would tend to err in favor of the relationship. I think personal feelings vary substantially, which could naturally result in different trade-offs.

FYI - I had plenty of evidence without sending in any credit card statements, so didn't face this challenge.

Tom

Tom,

In my case, I had a Government travel card (GTC); all expenses were official. Therefore, I do not have experience with that.

Re: relationship - I agree, the needs of the relationship are paramount and override everything else.

Like you, I had plenty of evidence as well. I did not send credit card statements supporting our case.

As I said above, I believe each person should do what is right for them.

[michellek1976 0]

Thanks all for your opinions. The package was posted this morning - I think he went with just blanking out account numbers - but I told him whatever he thinks is appropriate.

I just get so stressed over this process. I've waited so long t be with him and I don't want to risk any further delays.

But like you said, its better than we are united as a couple and I'm trying to learn to relax and trust his instincts as he is the USC.