gis cert numbers

[1234diamond]

Is it at all possible that some GIA labs use clients' cell numbers as the cert numbers. I called GIA, and the person I spoke to said no...but i'm wondering if they are trying to cover up a security issue. I googled a family member's cell number, and it came up as a GIA number for a diamond. Seems like an odd coincidence. IF cell numbers are not used, do the numbers have any sort of meaning, or are they really completely randomly generated.

 

[lovedogs]

Do you mean GIA, or is GIS another lab I don't know of? If GIA, then no, there is no chance of this.

 

[1234diamond]

Oops. Yes, I mean GIA! Sorry for the confusion.

 

[1234diamond]

There is no chance of what? No chance of it being a coincidence?

 

[lovedogs]

There is no chance of what? No chance of it being a coincidence?

No chance that they use customer phone numbers. Why would they do that? What's the incentive? That would get in so much trouble for nothing.

 

[skypie]

Even if a GIA # matched someone's cell phone number...which it could be complete coincidence, what's the harm in that?

I could see it being harmful if you sent a diamond to be graded by the GIA and they used your cell number as it would link you to the diamond, but if it was just some random person's cell phone number I don't see the issue.

7145682456

I just typed those random numbers. Chances are I just typed someone's cell phone number.

 

[lovedogs]

Even if a GIA # matched someone's cell phone number...which it could be complete coincidence, what's the harm in that?

I could see it being harmful if you sent a diamond to be graded by the GIA and they used your cell number as it would link you to the diamond, but if it was just some random person's cell phone number I don't see the issue.

7145682456

I just typed those random numbers. Chances are I just typed someone's cell phone number.

Just to clarify, when I talked about how gia could get in trouble for this and therefore wouldn't do it, I meant the sutatuon where your stone was somehow matched with your number.

 

[skypie]

Just to clarify, when I talked about how gia could get in trouble for this and therefore wouldn't do it, I meant the sutatuon where your stone was somehow matched with your number.

Right, I got you.

 

[1234diamond]

Well, this is good news. Very odd that the GIS number would match my family member's cell. It made me think he was hiding assets. I still find it such a strange coincidence that the number was an exact match -- but if it is indeed randomly assigned, my family member is off the hook.

 

[Bron357]

I think I know why.
Bank account numbers are not sequential, they use a special number generating program formula that can be “reverse checked” by a computer using another formula to confirm it is a “real bank account number” and not a made up number and to help prevent the simple transposition of numbers being someone else’s account number.
You know, if you’re adding a huge list of numbers and don’t balance (the olden days) if it divides by 9 it means you have transposed a number!
Anyhow I suspect that both mobile phone companies and the GIA are likewise using this type number generating program.
It’s quite a fluke but given the enormous numbers of mobile phone users and phone numbers in use I guess it’s possible that both systems have generated the same number but for different purposes.

 

[MarionC]

I think I know why.
Bank account numbers are not sequential, they use a special number generating program formula that can be “reverse checked” by a computer using another formula to confirm it is a “real bank account number” and not a made up number and to help prevent the simple transposition of numbers being someone else’s account number.
You know, if you’re adding a huge list of numbers and don’t balance (the olden days) if it divides by 9 it means you have transposed a number!
Anyhow I suspect that both mobile phone companies and the GIA are likewise using this type number generating program.
It’s quite a fluke but given the enormous numbers of mobile phone users and phone numbers in use I guess it’s possible that both systems have generated the same number but for different purposes.

My phone number in France contains my social security number. Which gave me pause when I first got it, but then no one else I know had that happen, so I guess I got lucky

 

[denverappraiser]

There's lots of debate in the industry about what is, and what isn't, encrypted in these numbers. People have a similar interest in the little bar code number that all modern reports have. They're not quite sequential but they clearly do have a sequential component. People want to use it to identify which lab did the work for example (GIA insists this is NOT in there by the way) or some sort of security code to help prevent counterfeiting (this seems likely to me but they deny this too and, naturally, it would defeat the whole point to admit to it even if it were there). Currently, they are 9 digit numbers, which turns out to be the same length as a phone number so it's no surprise that some of them will match someone's phone numbers. Yeah, it's a coincidence.

 

[1234diamond]

Interesting...thank you. Still... a very strange coincidence!