Protecting your personal information.

[Multigunner]

The subject of invasion of privacy and identity theft came up recently.
Figured everyone should look into methods used to steal your personal information.
http://foxnewsinsider.com/2014/01/09/invasion-privacy-app-matches-strangers%E2%80%99-photos-their-online-profiles
Even posting a photo of yourself in your profile is not a good idea.

Awhile back on another board I saw a thread where a fellow was asking the members to be pen pals with a sick friend.
He wanted the members to send her a letter and tell her about exactly what sort of guns they owned, and of course give her their address so she could write back. Was this legit? No way of knowing unless someone was gathering the information to pinpoint the homes of these members for burglaries and they come home one day to find all their gun collection gone for good.

The right to privacy is a basic human right, though they didn't spell that out in no uncertain terms in the Constitution. An amendment doing just that has been presented in recent years.

So protect the personal information of yourself and your families. Big Brother isn't the only one who wants to pry into your personal life.

[Cmm_3940]

When it comes to protecting personal information, Start with the basics:
D.D.S.S.
Don't Do Stupid Stuff

ps. Did you hear that they took the word 'gullible' out of the dictionary recently?

[uscra112]

My philosophy with regard to internet security can be summed up thusly:

"Sure I'm paranoid, but am I paranoid enough?"

[DCP]

I always cringe when I see pictures of Children and there names. Just so many things can go wrong.
Fathers and Mothers proud of what the child has done or a announcement of a new born.
It's good to be proud. But its a slippery slope.

You can follow some ones posts and figure out all you need to know.

[historicfirearms]

We should all be careful about what we post right here. Nothing like putting yourself on their gun registry.

[SciFiJim]

Big Brother already knows who I am and where I live.

It is the unofficial thieves that I have to be concerned with breaking into my home that I worry about.

[KLR]

I'm always amazed when friends post on Facebook when they are leaving on vacation.

[Jammersix]

I don't think there is any way to prevent personal information from leaking out onto the internet. Too many sources have too much information about everyone for there to be an airtight seal on the information itself.

I think a wiser strategy is to take as much action as possible to make it so that it doesn't matter who has information, and that merely having the information will do you no good. This will certainly be the only option for a child whose parents posted their picture when they were born-- their information will be out there literally all their life, and the only defense they will have will be to ascertain that it can't be used against them.

I've seen several instances of this right here on this board-- people using their full, proper names instead of a nickname, and by doing so subtly stating that merely knowing their name will not help you. I've considered changing my nickname to my proper name several times, and know a few friends that choose to "live transparently," and don't care who has information about them, because the information itself can be made useless.

[SciFiJim]

I don't think there is any way to prevent personal information from leaking out onto the internet. Too many sources have too much information about everyone for there to be an airtight seal on the information itself.

I think a wiser strategy is to take as much action as possible to make it so that it doesn't matter who has information, and that merely having the information will do you no good. This will certainly be the only option for a child whose parents posted their picture when they were born-- their information will be out there literally all their life, and the only defense they will have will be to ascertain that it can't be used against them.

I've seen several instances of this right here on this board-- people using their full, proper names instead of a nickname, and by doing so subtly stating that merely knowing their name will not help you. I've considered changing my nickname to my proper name several times, and know a few friends that choose to "live transparently," and don't care who has information about them, because the information itself can be made useless.

I sort of live like that. My name is very common. If you were to google my name, the entire first page that shows up is all about a car dealer on the other side of the country. A lot of people here do know my name and address because of group buys, but I haven't let that worry me.

[Multigunner]

An interesting development.
http://genealogy.about.com/b/2011/12/12/social-security-administration-to-cut-names-from-public-death-master-file-aka-ssdi.htm
Thats one that has fueled some conspiracy theories.
Identity thieves mine such sources of information. Nothing they like better than finding information on a recently deceased child. A name with SS number that never been used is a gold mine for them.

[Jammersix]

I've never heard a conspiracy theory that did anything but make me roll my eyes.

[Garyshome]

I went through Identity theft about 23 years ago, it still is a problem today, but it is finally fading. I burn everything with my or the wifes name or address on it, nothing goes out in the trash. Check out my Location on this site. Biggest PITA I've ever had!

[Jammersix]

We went through it about ten years ago. Times have changed significantly. Crooks can still profit from identity theft, but it's much, much harder to be hurt by it than it was just five years ago.

[smokeywolf]

Don't let businesses, doctors, lawyers, hospitals, make copies of your driver's lic., or Social Security card/number. The copiers they use store every document copied on a hard drive. After 2 or 3 years, leased copier is returned to leasing company. They sell the used copier for a few hundred dollars, hard drive and all, frequently to companies or individuals in foreign countries.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/digital-photocopiers-loaded-with-secrets/

smokeywolf

[Jammersix]

Here, you don't get medical care, then. None of them have to do business with you. A lot of people think they do, but if they do, it's because you're going to die if they don't. And then you'll let them copy whatever they want. Not to mention that even if you don't, if you have health insurance, your information is all over the insurance company's machines, anyway.

If you don't give up information, you won't have a credit card or a checking account. Without those, you won't buy anything on the net. You won't rent a car or fly on commercial airlines. You'd be living with the Amish, and they'll probably want some ID.

You won't ever own your own home.

So the only person who loses if you don't give them information is you.

A far better strategy, in my opinion, is to make sure that once that copier gets to wherever it's going, (and "people in foreign countries" are not any scarier than the bad guys right here in the U.S.) and the bad guys see all your information, (because you can't prevent it from happening, it's about ten years too late) they can't hurt you with it.

[pdawg_shooter]

I googled my name and got 221,000,000 hits. Good luck with that.

[dbosman]

Most of the copiers in small offices don't use a hard drive. Only commercial grade high capacity copiers have them.

For anyone who who wants facts about privacy issues, check out
http://www.infoworld.com/t/cringely
and
https://www.schneier.com/



This site http://www.infoworld.com/t/cringely/yahoo-breach-exposes-naked-truth-about-online-security-237460

[Multigunner]

Heres more on theft of Social Security numbers by Identity thieves, especially theft of information on the deceased.
http://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-03-2013/protecting-the-dead-from-identity-theft.html

I noticed recently that one of the Sandy Hook Conspiracy nutcases was jailed for violation of parole for identity theft and wire fraud.
Another was found to have his medical license permanently revoked for defrauding his patients.

I've also found that many of these kooks are complaining about autopsy and other information on deceased children being with held from the public. Kind of makes you wonder about their motivations.

[largom]

An interesting development.
http://genealogy.about.com/b/2011/12/12/social-security-administration-to-cut-names-from-public-death-master-file-aka-ssdi.htm
Thats one that has fueled some conspiracy theories.
Identity thieves mine such sources of information. Nothing they like better than finding information on a recently deceased child. A name with SS number that never been used is a gold mine for them.

This is how obummer got his SS No.

[smokeywolf]

Here, you don't get medical care, then. None of them have to do business with you. A lot of people think they do, but if they do, it's because you're going to die if they don't. And then you'll let them copy whatever they want. Not to mention that even if you don't, if you have health insurance, your information is all over the insurance company's machines, anyway.

If you don't give up information, you won't have a credit card or a checking account. Without those, you won't buy anything on the net. You won't rent a car or fly on commercial airlines. You'd be living with the Amish, and they'll probably want some ID.

You won't ever own your own home.

So the only person who loses if you don't give them information is you.

A far better strategy, in my opinion, is to make sure that once that copier gets to wherever it's going, (and "people in foreign countries" are not any scarier than the bad guys right here in the U.S.) and the bad guys see all your information, (because you can't prevent it from happening, it's about ten years too late) they can't hurt you with it.

Sadly, you're right. Preventing financial, medical and legal businesses from using their leased copiers to duplicate and distribute your private info is difficult to impossible. But, I'm not so sure that following the copier from the doctor's office back to the copier leasing company and then to Tunisia where the new owner is planning on extracting your info makes a great deal more sense.

smokeywolf