The Idaho Transportation Department insists it is not behind any piece of junk mail motorists receive, but it is making money off addresses and other forms of personal information.
In fact, the agency pulls in more than $5.4 million a year selling motor vehicle records and other bits of people’s lives to companies who, according to the Idaho Transportation Department, use the insight to research car-buying patterns, send out recall notices and track down scofflaws.
Idahoans, however, are unaware that this information is being sold, which is not sitting well with critics. Department spokesman Jeff Stratten, however, said certain steps are taken to ensure the information is not being abused.
The first is rather obvious. Private companies must abide by state and federal laws, “because if they don’t they’re basically out of business,” said Stratten. The agency also takes part in investigative methods that Stratten refused to offer specifics on, and uses a “grapevine approach” with others states. Stratten said Idaho is a member of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), and if a company were misusing information word would get out.
However, the AAMVA said reporting abusers is not a role of the association, and Claire O’Brien, marketing coordinator with the AAMVA, does not know of any organization that is actively involved in apprehending private companies that engage in negative activity.
