I recently got some new licence plates, and when they arrived I noticed that my registration had an error on it. My driver's licence number was incorrect and my vehicle type was wrong. I didn't worry about it much because I was going to have to get a new registration sticker at the end of the month anyway, and figured I could fix it then. Still, I was really curious as to how an error like this could occur. I double checked the registration of my old plates and it was correct. I double checked my driver's license which I recently renewed. Nope, same number. So, what gives? How could the number mysteriously change? Doesn't this fall under "sensitive information"? I don't expect that my social security number would randomly change on an official document, so I would assume this wouldn't either.

I called the State of Illinois and talked to a few people who all had seemingly no idea how to easily correct the error. Everyone came up with the same answer: go to the DMV. Wait, an error occurs not by my own fault, and I'm supposed to waste a half-day waiting in line to correct it? That's messed up. Because I had incorrect information on my registration I couldn't re-register for my sticker online, so I went to a currency exchange to do it.

The lady I dealt with was super nice, and told me something pretty scary. She's seen this error before, many times. She's seen all sorts of information errors. It's pretty common. Why? Because the state still does manual data entry. The nice database-driven flash website that I used to get my new license plates doesn't have an automated follow-through and fulfillment? Yikes. Why would the site deal in modern technology, while the followthrough deals with outdated practices? How is this information not inputted automatically?

What's equally scary (yet also convenient for me) is the lady at the currency exchange's ability to fix my problem through a "loophole". This loophole allows her to "update" any incorrect information someone may have. Apparently, if you show up to get a new sticker for your plate, but don't have your registration card, she can do the whole process manually. Starting by verifying my identity through her computer (simply that my name exists, and I knew some of my outdated information), she was able to manually fill out a blank form with my name, new address, correct vehicle type and correct driver's license number. She was sure this would fix my issue because "someone" at the State of Illinois would manually enter in this information which would overwrite the old information. Scary! What if I was lying? What if I had a great fake ID and she manually (and quite officially) re-registered a stolen car to my name? Granted, it's an out there example. However, in these times of secure transactions and encrypted data it seems like the powers-that-be would make sure all opportunities to exploit manual transactions with sensitive information would be eliminated.