Online Security & Personal Info

[dark angelicus]

out of curiosity I once googled my real name but disappointly (to me lol) I found nothing about myself other than there's more people than I thought with my spelling of my first name. I'm on facebook but I only use my nickname and the first intial of my surname. I have found myself once before when I searched for the place I was living but all I found out was my username lol Plus occationally I change my username when I get bored of whatever I'm using. But I'm probably easy to trace if you know what you're doing.

I remember not long ago getting a letter off child benefit apologising saying that my information was possibly among what was lost but if anyone got my bank details its not like anyone could do anything with it, unless they want to pay off the unauthorised over-draft! lol! Can't get any money out of me! Non to take! lol

[matty]

We all give little bits of info away on different sites and subjects ect without thinking about it and by it self its harmless info ect but scammers do put it all together and build up a bigger picture and its very easy to do.

To make a point I thought I would put this to the test (I do appologise to my test subjects if your not happy about it. Sorry ) Using facebook and this site, I've attemted to identify and add as a friend one of our members to my facebook profile. I've only used info that is public in this test.

If I've added you as a friend could you confim if I got it right, if not some random person has got a friend invite. I'll admit this was easy and the odds were stacked in my favor but it makes the point that the most innocent of info can be used and if someone is determined they can get all this info.

[BiPenny]

So thats who Matthew ********* is!!!!! I'd already added you on the bsis that I can't remember half the people from school/college so if they look about in my age range and like they may have been in my social aquaintence circle (to b stereotypical a lot of ppl who are gay now were in my sort of social circles cos I was with the outcasts!!!) and are from SHeffield then I tend to add them and assume I know them.

Yes odds stacked in your favour but how much more do you now know about me than you already did? And what was the deciding factor that cinvinced you that you were adding the right person?

[matty]

You can delete me if you want. I'll PM u and let you know which bits of info I used. And yes its it was a very simple and easy example but it took me 2 mins to do, If someone was more determind I'm sure they could find a lot more.

[matty]

Also way to many people just add whoever on your facebook. I've done it before and just accepted a random firend request and its turned out to be a customer from work which then add access to my personal email mobile number and pictures of me.

[wouldlikemuscle]

I NEVER add randoms to my facebook... all my facebook friends I either know in real life or I believe I know well enough online to trust. Some of the gaydar guys who have my MSN tried adding me before.. I'm like REJECT!

[matty]

I feel honorered.

Sometimes its not stangers you've got to worrie about. I do know people that have got into trouble at work before because of facebook. They've gone out the night before and then pulled a sicky the following day (like we've all done at some point) the managers then gone of facebook and seen pics and updates ect.

[PheonixRai]

I'm pretty sectrative with my data, especially since my mum found out I was gay by googling my email (Why, I still don't know!?!)

But it is amazing hen sooo many people give their birthdays, their postcode and what their mother's effing maiden name was! Scary that there are these idiots out there aneven scarier that there are these people that rob these poor saps.

(Mind you, I'll accept any invites, cos I aint got no friends )