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Re:Wondering if you are getting a CR-48? Look for your zipco... by dotBen on Sunday December 12, 2010 @02:02AM (#1996681)
I'm kinda concerned about the security angle on all of this.

You have people phoning up UPS finding out the addresses of where packages are going, and potentially writing down the address if it turns out not to be theirs.

You can see from the tracking results on UPS that UPS are leaving a lot of these on the steps of residences and thus if you setup the correct monitoring you now have the possibility of people running around to the houses of freshly delivered laptops to take them from the door step.

Additionally, where people have signed for them, their last name is listed and with the addition of the zip code from the original source this creates further concern. I've already been able to find out the identity of someone who received one who lives in my zipcode because he has an unusual last name. I just searched for their last name + zipcode on Google and could confirm he is a developer at Engine Yard.

The weak points in the chain are that UPS assumes you must be one of the authorized parties if you have a valid tracking number in hand, and so when you call up to enquire they take that as validation.

What this really comes down to is how these tracking numbers + zipcodes became public in the first place (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1996623)

Re:Wondering if you are getting a CR-48? Look for your zipco... by vikramhaer on Sunday December 12, 2010 @02:22AM (#1996699)
I don't think they say the address right away when you ask for it. Fairly certain they ask you to confirm your name and the address that's meant to be on the package and mention if it is the same or not. Regardless, this certainly raises a concern.
Re:Wondering if you are getting a CR-48? Look for your zipco... by SystemOut on Sunday December 12, 2010 @05:22AM (#1996886)
Just did it and the call went like this:

Me: I'd like to confirm the address of a package being sent to me.

Agent: Is it the package ending in the code XXXX?

Me: Yes

Agent: What is the address?

Me: The address is XXX XXXXX.

Agent: No, the address listed is YYY YYYYY.

Me: Thanks.

Beyond being disappointed it wasn't my address I have to say I was a bit surprised they let the address out that easily. She could have easily just said that was not the address it was shipped to.

Re:Wondering if you are getting a CR-48? Look for your zipco... by progtick on Sunday December 12, 2010 @05:30AM (#1996889)
same here.

Me: I want to verify the address.

Agent: One moment... The address is xyz.

Lol!

Re:Wondering if you are getting a CR-48? Look for your zipco... by vikramhaer on Sunday December 12, 2010 @09:15PM (#1998941)
Hmm, interesting. I called in and they asked me to confirm the address but never repeated the actual listed address. Guess it depends on who's on the other end.