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How big is ChoicePoint? How big you have to be to become a monopoly?*

ChoicePoint is an Alpharetta, Georgia-based company that sells information in three markets--insurance, business and government, and marketing. According to a recent quarterly statement filed at the Security and Exchange Commission, ChoicePoint sells: "claims history data, motor vehicle records, police records, credit information and modeling services...employment background screenings and drug testing administration services, public record searches, vital record services, credential verification, due diligence information, Uniform Commercial Code searches and filings, DNA identification services, authentication services and people and shareholder locator information searches...print fulfillment, teleservices, database and campaign management services..." ChoicePoint has managed to attain a large share of the commercial data broker (CDB) market with strategic purchases of other businesses. Since its spinoff from Equifax in 1997, ChoicePoint has acquired a number of information collection and processing companies. These include: National Data Retrieval, Inc., a provider of public records information; List Source, Inc., d/b/a Kramer Lead Marketing Group, a marketing company in the life and health insurance and financial services markets; Mortgage Asset Research Institute, Inc., a mortgage fraud monitoring company; Identico Systems, LLC, a customer identity verification company; Templar Corporation; insuranceDecisions, Inc., an insurance industry claims administration company; Bridger Systems, Inc., a USA PATRIOT Act compliance company; CITI NETWORK, Inc. d/b/a Applicant Screening and Processing, a tenant screening company; TML Information Services, Inc., a provider of motor vehicle reports; Drug Free, Inc., a drug testing company; National Drug Testing, Inc., a drug testing company; Application Profiles, Inc., a background check company; Informus Corporation; a company enabling ChoicePoint to offer products online; Tyler-McLennon, Inc., a background screening company; ChoicePoint Direct Inc., formerly known as Customer Development Corporation, a database marketing company; EquiSearch Services, Inc.; DATEQ Information Network, Inc., an insurance underwriting services company; Washington Document Service, Inc., a court record retrieval service; DataTracks Technology, Inc., a public record information company; DataMart, Inc., a database software company; Statewide Data Services, Inc; NSA Resources, Inc., a drug testing company; DBT Online, Inc., a public record services provider; RRS Police Records Management, Inc., a provider of police reports and related services; VIS'N Service Corporation; Cat Data Group, LLC; Drug Free Consortium, a drug testing company; BTi Employee Screening Services, Inc., an employee pre-screening services company; ABI Consulting Inc., a drug screening company; Insurity Solutions, Inc., an insurance rating company; National Medical Review Offices, Inc.; Bode Technology Group, Inc., a DNA identification company; Marketing Information & Technology, Inc., a direct marketing company; Pinkerton's, Inc., a preemployment screening company; Total eData Corporation, an e-mail database company; L&S Report Service, Inc., a provider of police records; Resident Data, Inc., a residential screening services provider; Vital Chek Network, Inc., a provider of vital records; Accident Report Services, Inc., a provider of police records; Programming Resources Company, insurance software company; Professional Test Administrators, Inc., a drug testing company; CDB Infotek, a seller of public records; Medical Information Network, LLC, an online physician verification service; and Rapsheets.com, an online provider of criminal records data.

Answers:

1) It's impossible to have a monoply now because if you own all the companys in a particular feild you can raise the prices as high as you want,so the government outlawed it.

2) You don't have to be big to have a monopoly, you just need to have a large share of the market in whatever niche you are operating in. If someone invents a new gadget, and creates a company to sell it, and patents it, they have a monopoly on that gadget even if they have only sold five of them. For UK official info, see www.mmc.gov.uk For the US, START HERE: www.investorwords.com/1919/Federal_Trade_Commission

3) Its obvious that they own most of the companies in the Data mining bussiness. Now All insurance companies consult Choicepoint C.L.U.E. report before they aprove you for home or even car insurance. They know things about anyone like how many accidents you have, if you were at fault, and how many traffic tickets you have. Thats the new way for this companies to detrmine how much are they going to charge you for insurance. All you need to have is a couple of mistakes and boom you get stock with higher rates, awesome bussiness dont you think?. They have one of the biggest databases in the nation that now even FBI uses them or buy their information instead of doing their own investigations. How comfortable Aint it? There is no doubt that Choice point is one poses one of the most dangerous databases in america. And there is no way to put controls to their marketing of a citizen own and personal information. A monopoly ! we can agree they are the biggest in the market right now.

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