Nov292010
How Secure Are You, Really, When Anybody Can Track You Down?
Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.
Last week I freaked out my newsletter subscribers with a list of websites that share massive amounts of your personal information with, well, anybody who wants it. Some of the sites have an ‘opt out’ option, but much of the info is public and permanent. Your local pizza delivery restaurant happily sells your name and phone number, and a reader informed me that the efficient folks at the DMV do the same.
image by mauren veras
No longer is personal information personal. Years ago when I was in college, one professor proudly proclaimed that we were no longer in the industrial age but, instead, the information age. Never before has so much information been available so easily; anything can be found with a Google search. The price we pay, however, is that our own information is included and accessible.
The most that can be done is limiting the information that is available. It’s a little bit like cleaning up your credit report. You have to deal with one bit of information at a time, and then make sure no additional information is leaked, if possible. Here are a few tips to maintain a bit of privacy.
- Be careful what you say and share on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Classmates, and similar social networks. Yes, they can be valuable, but sharing your hometown, your mother’s maiden name, and listing all your relatives on a Family Tree app is just plain crazy if you want any privacy at all.
- Use a screen name or pseudonym when participating in online forums and chat rooms. Just because you’re asked to fill in a name, doesn’t mean it has to be the one on your birth certificate. Dittos for date of birth. (I lie about my year of birth all the time!)
- Make it a habit to change your passwords every month. Combine lower case with upper case letters, symbols and numbers, and then
- Set up a ‘junk’ email account to use whenever a website asks for your email address. You can always visit that account but it will separate likely junk mail from the email you actually value.
- Make sure your kids and other family members know to not share personal information.
- Use a Post Office box exclusively.
- Avoid giving your phone number to store cashiers who ask for it.
- It wouldn’t hurt to read a book or two on how to disappear. Not that you would ever want to disappear, but some of the tactics might be helpful.
Find out more than you ever wanted to know about yourself by visiting the sites listed below. Where you can, look for privacy settings and make every possible change to keep your information private. As with your credit report, you may want to revisit these sites in six months to see if they have picked up any more information that can be deleted.
- Pipl
- Zabasearch
- Blackbook Online
- Spokeo
- Dex Knows
- Ultimate WebPages
- Switchboard
- Fone Finder
- Dirt Search
© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.
(17) Readers Comments
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LizLong
My upper elementary age son was asked in school how to keep yourself and your information safe online. He told them to make up fake information and use. The teacher (a long-term sub due to maternity leave) didn't know quite what to make of that.
I have my "internet birthday" – month, date, and year are all different. I've used them for a decade or so now, exclusively, online – including FB. It's close enough to not be confusing (clearly, I was NOT born in 1928, for instance), but far enough to clearly be wrong if someone tries to use it to apply for a credit card in my name. I have an "internet birthday" for my eldest son to use as well, now. And I use my maiden name online, not my married name, when I do use my real name – it also makes it easier for classmates to find me on FB. My husband is "dh" (darling husband, from a website whose boards I frequented for years), my sons are "my eldest" and "my youngest". Those who really know me, know their names. For those who don't, eldest and youngest is probably easier than their names anyhow.
Both kids will have a full set of fake data to use online as soon as they start doing so. Even on matchbox.com and sites like that, which are generally pretty safe.
Mary
You gals are pretty smart. I use a fake birth year but haven't used fake day and month, will sure start now. I have trouble telling cashiers that I don't wish to give my phone no. I don't know why but I just do, I think I'll start giving a fake phone no. instead of saying no.
Barb
Just smile and say "I'd rather not, thank you." If they persist, saying you'll receive great coupons, etc, just repeat your answer with a smile. It's not the cashier's fault the boss has told them to get nosey. Just like a suave guy who's hitting on you for a date. Just smile and say no thank you.
LizLong
If you really want to, memorize another number (the local mall's main number, for instance) and give it to them instead. The auto-dialer is unlikely to be disturbed by any random calls it receives and they're unlikely to recognize the mall number and realize its a fake when you give it. Plus, if you ever need to call and check store hours or item availability at the mall, you'll know the number. :-p
MasterPo
People give away personal info all the time (off line as well as on line) for all sorts of dumb reasons. Try to sign up with Blockbuster in my area and they want you DOB and SS#. Why on Earth does a video rental place need my SS#?? But I bet many people give it w/o thinking.
In another case, many years ago at work I had to get access to the corporate database. The DB administrators had a form for requesting access. It asked for your SS#. WTH?! Why does a DBA need my SS#? I'm already a full-time employee of the company. So I left it blank. They sent it back saying I needed to fill it in. I refused. That opened a whole can of trouble but I held my ground.
LizLong
I use the final four of my old zip code when asked for the final four of my SSN for anything other than a bank or financial institution I actually use.
rightwingmom
Fox had a story on today about people stealing your credit card info. without touching it. If you have a newer card, with a radio frequency, there are scanners that can pick it up without being swiped! Scary!
Here's the video! http://video.foxnews.com/v/4439754/high-tech-cred…
MasterPo
I believe that only applies to CC's with the imbedded chip.
NTL, all the more reason to check your statement each month. Too many people just pay it.
Momofthree3
There is supposed to be a little marking on the back of your credit/debit if it's enabled for that sort of thing (looks like the volume icon on most computers). I never understood why that was supposed to be such a great thing. So you wave the card in front of the reader instead of swiping it, not like it makes the trip take less time but makes you much less secure.
Lynda
I have both a public and private email address. Whenever asked for my phone number by cashiers I decline. Unfortunately, I was a community blogger for a newspaper publication(on-line) in my area and people do know who I am and where to find me. I've since given it up(after 2 years) but don't worry too much about my safety. The local PD also know who I am(great department), we have dogs, a security system, are armed and any approaches by anyone can be seen as we live 450 feet back from the road. Still, remaining cautious and aware is prudent.
I'm very careful with my financial information. Getting on the Do Not Call list for both land lines and cell phones is wise.
If others want to find you they will.
Chrissy
http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/how-to-remo…
This is a comprehensive list of websites that store personal information for anyone with a credit card to access! Do yourself a favor and take a few hours to get your name OFF these websites. You'll be shocked to see how much of your personal information is listed- previous addresses, relatives, phone numbers!
Kathryn
how do you get off these websites?
TheSurvivalMom
You have to go to each one and look around for an opt-out option. Spokeo allows you to do this but I'm not sure about the others.
anon
Google lets you do that for free.
Send an email to @gmail.com
MasterPo
OTOH, there are times when *maybe* giving an SS# or other info is somewhat needed but unclear. In those cases I transpose 2 digits on my SS# (and/or my phone # or house # etc). Later if it ever comes back to me that the info I gave is incorrect I can either claim the person entered it wrong or just play dumb and say "ooops, my bad. Sorry."
inaminute
MasterPo, I do exactly the same thing! When cashiers ask for DOB or zip code, I make it up. Usually I give the zip code for the richest part of my city; that's my idea of a joke. Any time I'm asked to fill out questionnaires, etc. I put in all false information. I don't do any social networking–no facebook, etc. However, when a friend on a church mission decided to keep a facebook blog, I wanted to read it. So I made up a fictional person, put him in a far-away state and city, used a real street name, and registered him. Whatever information anyone has about me is probably wrong.
MasterPo
Inspite of these efforts it's not all that hard to track someone down. My wife was "tracked down" by a local police detective. Contacted her directly at her office. Said he first found out about her from phone account records at an apartment in a private house we rented many years ago when we were still just dating. Funny thing too is she had that phone account in her maiden name! Yet somehow he was able to 'convert' that to her married name, find out where she worked now, and got her direct phone#.
(No, she wasn't in trouble. It was about a case he was working on; if she had any info or would be willing to give a statement or testify. Domestic abuse. Very sad story.
)