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+--- Thread: Urgent news for USA residents (/showthread.php?tid=17880)
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Urgent news for USA residents - Crispvs - 11-19-2010
I came across this and felt it was sufficiently worrying that I should announce it here. An internet site named 'Spokeo' has been trawling the internet and compiling information on US citizens (and probably citizens of other places too), some of which it is making freely available and much more of which it will give out on payment of a fee.
I had a look at it and worryingly, with very little effort I found several RAT members details. The details which were freely available were: Name, age range, relationship, name of spouse, town and street name (along with a map), the type of property, the value of the property and the telephone number. That is just what they were giving away for free! For a fee they will also give out information on your family, your level of wealth, your hobbies, what social networks you are involved with and many other things as well I am sure. I find this extremely worrying.
The link below gives a bit more information about it and also contains a link you can use to remove your information.
http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/home/ ... pokeo.html
Crispvs
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - Vindex - 11-19-2010
That is seriously worrying!
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - Jona Lendering - 11-19-2010
That's indeed unpleasant. I was vaguely aware how much people knew about me, but this is frightening.
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - Gaius Julius Caesar - 11-19-2010
There are 13 Byron Angels in the US, all of whom link to my FB account. :evil:
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - M. Demetrius - 11-19-2010
I tried to opt out, but couldn't seem to figure out what URL they wanted entered.
As an adjunct, if you go to Google, and put your phone number in (for US folks in this format (###)-###-####, you get pretty much the same thing. I entered my old land line (now disconnected in favor of the cell) and found out that my house is worth about twice what it can be sold for. Don't know where they got that, but if anyone's interested, I might be. Cash or gold bullion preferred.
Not sure how/if opting out works on Google.Entered my cell number, and all it could find was the phone carrier. I like that a bunch better.
BTW Byron, it should be easy to figger out how the info got out there...FB is as leaky as the Titanic.
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - Virilis - 11-19-2010
Stop whining and drink soma :twisted: !
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - Gaius Julius Caesar - 11-19-2010
Yeah good idea Virilis..think I'll shoot down to the galley for somemore Cranberry juice(drink) :roll: :lol:
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - richsc - 11-19-2010
It's not entirely unexpected as marketing people are trolling everything, and Twitter and Facebook regularly sell your information and posts. Your cell phone can announce where you are (there's an app..or many ...for that) and Facebook apps regularly announce that they're going to access all your data: try posting an Economist article link to Facebook.
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - Dithrambus - 11-19-2010
This is somewhat disturbing, I found myself including my cell number, email address, home street address, value of my property etc, but it claimed I did not have air conditioning, proves they don't know it all.
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - Matthew Amt - 11-20-2010
Skynet! Skynet!
All seriousness aside, thanks for the call about that, Crispus! My wife hunted it down and removed us. Had some weird details, though, so it really doesn't seem to have come from "public records". (Wait a sec, how did Crispus get my phone number?? Oh....)
Frankly, I'm a little more concerned about ill-intentioned people coming to my house with who don't give a crap who actually lives there!
Valete,
Anonymous
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - Doc - 11-20-2010
Thanks for the tip. These Assholes had my information quite close to the truth.
Like Matt I was able to remove it.
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - john m roberts - 11-20-2010
They don't seem to have too much about me that isn't on my business card. Could it be that - (gasp!) - I'm just not that important?
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - Dithrambus - 11-20-2010
Quote:They don't seem to have too much about me that isn't on my business card. Could it be that - (gasp!) - I'm just not that important?
Much the same with me actually, all of the info such as street address, cell number etc is also on my business card (I work out of a home office), they did show the value of my home at over $20,000.00 more than I paid for it and like David, I will also accept cash or gold bullion.
BTW, contrary to what is stated my house does have central hvac (for those that may be interested) :lol:
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - Crispvs - 11-20-2010
But then of course, you can at least choose who you give your business card to, and it is in any case unlikely to give out details which would allow someone to clone your identity or effectively give criminals all the tools they needed to do a 'safe' burglary on your house, let alone any of the other things nefarius minds might dream up. I doubt that the air conditioning is quite as important as some of the other details.
Crispvs
Re: Urgent news for USA residents - Praefectusclassis - 11-20-2010
Don't blame Facebook too easily. A lot of this information is 'aggregate' info: collecting all possible PUBLIC info on the net (through 'bots') and having computers constantly 'connect the dots'. I.e. information about house sales in your area leads to a probable value for your house, your phone number may be available in an online phonebook, etc, etc. The details more likely originate in the information you provide when the friendly lady at the checkout counter asks you whether you want a 10% discount card. Just fill out this form (with a page of small print...)
Then there's the possibility that what Spokeo is doing is a form of phishing: people find themselves and want to know what Spokeo knows, so they fill out the Facebook details which only then provides Spokeo access to the detailed info!