Geesh, half of page one is gone!

[Karin1984]

My money is on doing research for an identity theft movie or series.

Someone long lost turns up in someone's life, and there is something strange about it. They sort of look like the long lost person and they seem to know an awfully lot of personally information... are they the real person???

There is a huge Excel file with all the data stored.

Other option is that it has something to do with aliens.

 

[kdonnel]

Once the scammers have your IP address, they can actually locate you within the block, if not the actual building/house you live in.

Geolocation using IP address is not that accurate.

https://www.iplocation.net/geolocation-accuracy

Rough measure of geolocation accuracy​

• Country: 95% to 99% accuracy
• Region (State): 55% to 80% accuracy
• City:50% to 75% accuracy

Wifi geolocation however can get to a 5-8 meter accuracy. That counts on frequent surveys by typically driving all across the country, on every street. Something Google street view does on a regular basis.

 

[CdnCarrie]

While I personally don't answer any of the questions on those inane threads and I have the three main culprits on ignore, I also am not worried about them being used to data mine. Mostly because, as noted above, most of our private information is out there to begin with anyway but second, If I were to play and any of the questions asked something that could possibly be one of my security questions (which street did you grow up on, or name your first pet) I would either not answer or give a bogus answer. I just find all those threads super annoying and useless.

But, just to give you an idea of the information out there, run yourself on

fastpeopleserch.com
zabasearch.com
truepeoplesearch.com

or any one of a dozen other sites. My personal favorite is fastpeoplesearch.com I use it all the time at work when I am trying to find someone to return property to. I will look them up and if there currently listed phone number is bad, I will relative hop until I find someone who knows them.

Look like they are American. Do you know any Canadian ones?

I do find in my genealogy work that the USA shares way more personal information about BDM then Canada.

Also people talking about 3 main posters. I only know of 1.

 

[gmi3804]

I'm not sure how some Internet scoundrel would use the fact that I know a song about toenail fungus against me.

But I am intensely curious about what kind of barnyard animal I'd be, and am willing to disclose my social security number to find out.

This thread has taught me that I need to be more judicious with my Ignore List.

 

[cabanafrau]

I'm not sure how some Internet scoundrel would use the fact that I know a song about toenail fungus against me.

But I am intensely curious about what kind of barnyard animal I'd be, and am willing to disclose my social security number to find out.

This thread has taught me that I need to be more judicious with my Ignore List.

I don't know that it makes me a scoundrel, but I just might give side eye to someone who is intensely curious about what kind of barnyard animal they'd be -- doubly so if they're willing to disclose their Social Security # to find out.

I get by with no ignore list, just do lots of scrolling at times.

 

[gmi3804]

I don't know that it makes me a scoundrel, but I just might give side eye to someone who is intensely curious about what kind of barnyard animal they'd be -- doubly so if they're willing to disclose their Social Security # to find out.

I get by with no ignore list, just do lots of scrolling at times.

I'll have you know that I LOOK LIKE JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE!!!!

 

[Imzadi]

While I personally don't answer any of the questions on those inane threads and I have the three main culprits on ignore, I also am not worried about them being used to data mine. Mostly because, as noted above, most of our private information is out there to begin with anyway but second, If I were to play and any of the questions asked something that could possibly be one of my security questions (which street did you grow up on, or name your first pet) I would either not answer or give a bogus answer. I just find all those threads super annoying and useless.

But, just to give you an idea of the information out there, run yourself on

fastpeopleserch.com
zabasearch.com
truepeoplesearch.com

or any one of a dozen other sites. My personal favorite is fastpeoplesearch.com I use it all the time at work when I am trying to find someone to return property to. I will look them up and if there currently listed phone number is bad, I will relative hop until I find someone who knows them.

Yes, I've used these to sometimes see what a former classmate, friend, ex-BF is now doing now. When I have one of those, "I wonder whatever happened to. . .?" It's amazing the info that pops up.

 

[Imzadi]

FWIW, you can contact all of those websites and request them to remove your data so it is no longer public. I contacted a number of them that popped up when I googled myself about a year ago. I suspect that I have to do that again, but all companies complies.

That's good to know! I'm in the process of selling a house. I've been getting phone calls on my other cellphone number for it, which I suspect are scammers. They could only have gotten it from one of these sites, as I've not listed that number anywhere. Yet, as others have said, it's now out there.

 

[Imzadi]

Other option is that it has something to do with aliens.

With my screenname, it would be the aliens.

For those who don't know, my screenname is from Star Trek: The Next Generation. It means "beloved" in the Betazed language.

BTW there are about 5 other "Imzadi"s in the NY/NJ area. I ran into them at a Star Trek convention once. So the info about "Imzadi" out there is a lot to sort through as some is accurate and not accurate to ME.

 

[Imzadi]

Geolocation using IP address is not that accurate.

https://www.iplocation.net/geolocation-accuracy


Wifi geolocation however can get to a 5-8 meter accuracy. That counts on frequent surveys by typically driving all across the country, on every street. Something Google street view does on a regular basis.

Thanks for the tech update.

One time, a coworker drove me home. She seemed to have this really high-tech, GPS app with voice and map on her phone. It even would correctly track us and re-route the route coordinates when my co-worker decided to go down a different street (due to construction or traffic,) than the app told us to go down. It had our coordinates down to a T even when we were going 60 mph on the highway.

I thought, "What is this amazing app? I don't drive a lot. But, it is definitely worth paying for." Turned out to be plain ole' Google Maps on all of our (Android) phones. It has a voice feature I didn't even know about. No need to buy anything.

 

[Imzadi]

Wifi geolocation however can get to a 5-8 meter accuracy. That counts on frequent surveys by typically driving all across the country, on every street. Something Google street view does on a regular basis.

I LOVE Google street view. I use it all the time, especially as I'm walking through a new area I don't know. I like to look and see if the walking route it suggests may look like a section of deserted and abandoned buildings, (where drug addicts and muggers may be hanging out,) whereas, a street or two down may have open restaurants and stores and lots of street traffic.

A couple weeks ago, the route Google Maps suggested would have led me directly through a densely wooded/foresty area, according to the satellite view. There may have been a well-walked path through that area, but I didn't want to chance it. So I added a third of a mile on to walk the actual street around the forest.

 

[Dan Murphy]

For those who don't know, my screenname is from Star Trek: The Next Generation. It means "beloved" in the Betazed language.

I learned that about 20 years ago. I looked it up.

Turned out to be plain ole' Google Maps on all of our (Android) phones. It has a voice feature I didn't even know about. No need to buy anything.

Some of free apps are pretty good.

 

[Imzadi]

I personally think when the Bots joined it changed the feel of the community board.

They also changed the the Controversial Board from topics that are really controversial and being seriously debated to stuff that really stretches the concept of "controversial," and the idea that WMCorey gave us a place to post about some substantial topics that really affect us.

Now just the 3 heavy duty questioners. Most of the time it's fine, maybe a third of page one., But sometimes, if super prolific they take up so much of page one, and two also. Yesterday it got up to 18 of a possible 30, 60%! That's a lot. But, such as it is.

There is a type/style of writing called "stream of consciousness" writing, where people just write down anything and everything that comes off the top of their head, without much thought. It's great for journal writing. Just get it down. Get it out on the page.

But, used to just post new threads because one wants to be prolific, posting a lot of threads, is just plain annoying, especially when the content lacks substance. These posters are, in my opinion, a form of "human bots."

 

[Dan Murphy]

There is a type/style of writing called "stream of consciousness" writing, where people just write down anything and everything that comes off the top of their head, without much thought. It's great for journal writing. Just get it down. Get it out on the page.

But, used to just post new threads because one wants to be prolific, posting a lot of threads, is just plain annoying, especially when the content lacks substance. These posters are, in my opinion, a form of "human bots."

The three do seem like that as you describe. Plus the one additionally compiles data I guess, as a person or maybe just a bot.

 

[AgentMama]

Okay so a random person has all this information on me but how do they use it against me if they don't have any clue who I am?

I've realized there are people here I know in real life just because they've given one piece of seemingly innocent I formation that ties them to people I know. No big deal for me, but one of them often posts when they'll be away, so if I was up to no good, I'd know when they're away.

I don’t answer any of those questions. I did catch said person in a lie. Referred to a previous post they gave info in. I asked for clarification and was ignored. Not surprising.

I've called them out for never responding to any post they've ever posted and they've never responded.

I wish they'd be removed. I don't think they're adding anything to the board and I'm one of the ones that thinks they're data mining and shouldn't be here.

 

[Nayan]

I've called them out for never responding to any post they've ever posted and they've never responded.

I wish they'd be removed. I don't think they're adding anything to the board and I'm one of the ones that thinks they're data mining and shouldn't be here.

I agree. If you are going to make a post, at least respond/engage after making it, not 'hit and run'.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I've realized there are people here I know in real life just because they've given one piece of seemingly innocent I formation that ties them to people I know. No big deal for me, but one of them often posts when they'll be away, so if I was up to no good, I'd know when they're away.


I've called them out for never responding to any post they've ever posted and they've never responded.

I wish they'd be removed. I don't think they're adding anything to the board and I'm one of the ones that thinks they're data mining and shouldn't be here.

I hope you shared that information with them privately. If it were me, I'd want to know I was oversharing to that extreme.

Edited to correct typo.

 

[tvguy]

I agree. If you are going to make a post, at least respond/engage after making it, not 'hit and run'.

I've been accused of "wanting to get the last word in" by doing that. But I find it rude if you don't at least "Like" a response. I mean, it is a DISCUSSION board.

 

[Karin1984]

I still wanna know what happened to the old bot account. Was there a limit to the amount of posts or did it get blocked?

 

[prairie_girl]

PM me, tell me where you think.

So, I’m curious..were they right?