Scary-Phone/Address Safety

[tink2dw]

Phone/Address Safety

Google has implemented a new feature wherein you can type someone's telephone number into the search bar and hit enter and then you will be given a map to their house. Think about it-if a child, single person, ANYONE gives out his/her phonenumber, someone can actually now look it up to find out where he/she lives. The safety issues are obvious, and alarming. This is not a hoax; Mapquest will actually put a star on your
house on your street. In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to: http://www.google.com and type your phone number in the search bar with dashes (i.e.555-555-1212)and hit enter.

NOTE: If your phone number is not publicly listed, you should be fine. If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private information, simply click on the telephone icon next to your phone number. You will see a link where you are allowed to REMOVE yourself. Even though it asks for your email address, this isn't necessary to enter to get yourself
removed.

Tell your friends and family about this security glitch!!

 

[GoofItUp]

tink2dw - There are actually multiple sights on-line where you can do a reverse phone look up, get the person's name, address, map to their house....you could probably find out what they had for breakfast! Call me a pessimist, but I think that we are all wide-open to scams or worse....it's just a matter of whether you're number comes up or not. Don't get me wrong, I think we should protect ourselves however we can, but if someone really wants to know about us, it's not that hard.

 

[Kallison]

Think about it -- all a burglar would have to do is call your house multiple times during the week to find out when you are home and then find the address. I'm unlisted, we don't pop up anywhere.

 

[CajunDixie]

There are actually multiple sights on-line where you can do a reverse phone look up, get the person's name, address, map to their house....

Not only that but one site will list all your neighbors names, addresses, and phone numbers too.

all a burglar would have to do is call your house multiple times during the week to find out when you are home and then find the address.

With caller ID and answering machines that would no longer work. For example one of my M-I-L's works for a school so she never ever answers her phone until she hears who it is on her answering machine. And rarely do I answer my phone between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. unless I'm waiting on a call. And your average burglar will randomly pick a house or actually watch for it to be empty.

 

[nicknamy1996]

Scary, Maybe. But definitly not new. Anywho.com has had this feature for at least 2 to 3 years. When I first found it that was the first thing that came to my mind, the whole giving out your number to a stranger thing!

 

[tink2dw]

Well,I have children at home and I don"t want maps popping up to show my house with a big red X marking it!!

So,First I deleted our phone number from Google. In their delete box it lists other sites that may have your phone number so I went to those sites and seleted our phone number and deleted it.

And in the process I found out that they are ONLY suppose to be listing Business phone numbers. So, If they list your residents
ph # they give you a delete process!! It took about an hour last night to delete our ph# and personal info from 6 other sites.

I know we are never truely safe but at least I can do my part to keep maps from popping up for complete strangers.

 

[nicknamy1996]

Way to go Tink.

Alot of people will say and think "That doesn't do any good, if somebody wants your info they can get it anyway"

While this is most likely true, you just made yourself less likely to be the victim. All you have to do is make yourself a little better off than the next guy. And with you little bit of work I'm guessing there are a million easier targets than yourself right now.

 

[KaitlinsMom]

I just wanted to point out that my phone is unlisted - AND IT STILL CAME UP!!!

So just because your name is "unlisted", you are still not safe -
check anyways!!!

 

[kilee]

Well, I put in my phone. I came up with someone elses name the next town over (our town and that town share telephone exchanges). We have had this number for over a year. So they are not 100% accurate. I did it twice just to double check too.

 

[FFerret]

Thanks so much
Just took care of my address and my grandmom's.

 

[N.Bailey]

I just asked for my name to be removed as well. I too have children and if I just made it a little harder for someone to try and get ahold of any of us (for whatever their intent), well that I am grateful for! Thanks for the heads up!