Online Presence

zimby

zimby

Just wondering if anyone ever gets concerned with the amount of personal information divulged on these forums/Internet.
Wouldn't be hard to work out the real names behind some of the forum members.
From there its all downhill, you would be surprised how easily and fully one's identity can be obtained and used.
Thought I'd throw it out there as I've seen this happen and recovering from the credit nightmare can take years.
 
I've been on here for ten years and divulged lots of info about myself, and besides the people on here who I've purposely introduced myself to, I've never had a single person from outside the somersoft forums say that they know I post here. I'm surprised actually. I've posted all sorts of stuff about my farm and hobies and what not.

Posting stuff on forums [not this one] did cause a former poster here, Daz, a bit of bother, however he did then go into politics. Seems that's a bit of a no no, posting on forums and then getting into politics, as then you become a target and everyone on the other side of your political belief then wants to bring you down.

As someone who has no desire to get into politics, and is quite happy to remain as a no-body, I don't see any problem posting here.


See ya's.
 
Kind of, but as a random poster, I doubt anyone here is patient enough in trying to find my online presence. That said, those who know my name can easily find me.. I work in digital industry and need to be visible.
 
You mean identity thief? Anyone who steals my identity will get locked up on sight.

A much easier way to steal a person's identity is to just go through their letterbox. Especially the cluster letter boxes in old unit blocks where the mail is half hanging out because the strata is too stingy to get proper sized lockable boxes. May as well put a sign up saying "steal me, steal me" lol.
 
I do find my world is very small! I often delete when I feel I express too much. Certainly many close connections here. I also got very freaked 7 yrs ago when my bank account was interfered with. I've also had some very close connections with Facebook like an old school acquaintance (friend of my sister) was my husbands boss. A Facebook friend who I was running into at everyone's 40th parties (and glamafied his job title so I didn't click) was my employers closest business rival.
My sis had her resume folder stolen by boss who had about 8 alias's so I do get paranoid!
 
INVSTOR said:
I do find my world is very small! I often delete when I feel I express too much. Certainly many close connections here. I also got very freaked 7 yrs ago when my bank account was interfered with. I've also had some very close connections with Facebook like an old school acquaintance (friend of my sister) was my husbands boss. A Facebook friend who I was running into at everyone's 40th parties (and glamafied his job title so I didn't click) my employers closest business rival.
My sis had her resume stolen by boss who had about 8 alias's so I do get paranoid!
Click to expand...

Mixing with the wrong crowd?
 
The Fence said:
Mixing with the wrong crowd?
Click to expand...

The hacking my bank accounts was from overseas, a third world country if I recall correctly and it would have been person's full time earner. They could have withdrawn $2000/day but they upped my limit to $10,000/day which I was alerted to so they got nothing. I'm really careful to not download anything off the internet, inc innocent looking spreadsheets on LOE, feasibility, etc!
 
Heard a story of a mate who was called at work by a debt collection agency/creditor-whatever-they're-called asking that they pass on a message to their father that the agency was trying to get in contact with them as he (the dad) was ignoring their calls. Mate laughed and told them that he hadn't spoken to his father in years, but was a little annoyed that the agency took it upon themselves to match the last names via LinkedIn.
Tricky to be a good networker and have a minimal online presence.
 
I used to quite regularly access business accounts(Mostly Telco tho) without being authorised( still had company authority, so nothing Illegal)
The Trick is to call with the information you do know,each time you find more Info, and by the 3-5 call you have enough to gain access.
Given security has tightened up, but these accounts weren't small.
Wouldn't be a far step to doing this with Banks etc.
Most people don't realise how much they have about themselves online.
Anyways time to put the Tinfoil hat back on :)
 
Companies can find out a lot about you without knowing who you are. Facebook and Google can target ads based on your searches.

I get a lot of property seminar ads on FB even though I don't discus it much outside of Somersoft.

I heard about one young lady who had a company congratulate her on her pregnancy. Well before she was going to tell her parents. They inferred from her searches that she was quite likely to be having a baby in the near future.
 
I try to post as little personal info as possible. Google 'Ed Barton' and see what you get.

I always use a fake birth date when it's required.
 
I just posted my resume, bank acount datails, copies of drivers licence, passport and mobile number on facebook in the hope of finding a well paid secure job......hang on a sec, ANZ bank security is on the line wanting to speak to me urgently....must have a job for me, gee that was quick.
 
topcropper said:
Posting stuff on forums [not this one] did cause a former poster here, Daz, a bit of bother, however he did then go into politics. Seems that's a bit of a no no, posting on forums and then getting into politics, as then you become a target and everyone on the other side of your political belief then wants to bring you down.

As someone who has no desire to get into politics, and is quite happy to remain as a no-body, I don't see any problem posting here.


See ya's.
Click to expand...

I had a friend who got pre-selected as a major party candidate, and as a precaution they (them and the party) trawled through their online presence, and deleted almost all traces of it. They deleted all their social media accounts and set up brand new ones in their place etc. Sometimes the silliest things can slip a campaign up and sink your chances.
 
zimby said:
Just wondering if anyone ever gets concerned with the amount of personal information divulged on these forums/Internet.
Wouldn't be hard to work out the real names behind some of the forum members.
From there its all downhill, you would be surprised how easily and fully one's identity can be obtained and used.
Thought I'd throw it out there as I've seen this happen and recovering from the credit nightmare can take years.
Click to expand...

As a person with a unique name IRL I played my cards pretty close to my chest - but after going to a few SS meets where people met me and I used my name they started using it when replying to me in posts. So I'm pretty much out of the closet. Not so much that I'll use it myself though :)

My identity could be worked out but I have a number of measures in place to help prevent identity theft after a family member (sigh!!) used my identity.

So I worry less about the peeps on the internet and more about the people I do know.
 
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