[TheVillageChicken]

For those of you who wish to remain anonymous, as do I, here is a tip.

DO NOT USE THE SAME USER NAME ON MULTIPLE FORUMS OR SOCIAL MEDIA.

Yesterday, I was interested in an item in the classifieds. The seller did not leave contact info, so I simply Googled their user name and found that the user name was in use on multiple forums and even on a twitter account. A couple of clicks later, I had a name. Searched the name on White Pages and got a phone number. I now own the item that was for sale.

A while back, I got a bit annoyed at a poster who was presenting their self as a sort of golf guru. Applying the same techniques, I was able to look up their golf handicap, and just as I suspected.......................


Not trying to make a point. Just throwing out some info. Use it or ignore it....all the same to me.

[ScorpioSquared]

It is so easy in today's tech age to find people and all kinds of information. Thanks for the tip!

[JoMar]

I am not an advocate of anonymous posting on anything. If you can't own it, don't post it.

[bluedivergirl]

Originally Posted by JoMar

I am not an advocate of anonymous posting on anything. If you can't own it, don't post it.

That's not what he's talking about. He means be careful of using the same user name, because little bread crumbs you leave as you post can lead back to the real life you.

And he's right. Florida's Sunshine laws can give someone a lot of help finding you. Public records - for free - can tell me what business you may own, what your mortgage is, if your property taxes are paid. The list is endless.

[rubicon]

The OP offers sound advise.

[snowbird22154]

Have gotten sucked in the "Free" Databases and never could find something that didn't charge you. Is it possible I might get a "Link"?
Thanks

Originally Posted by bluedivergirl

That's not what he's talking about. He means be careful of using the same user name, because little bread crumbs you leave as you post can lead back to the real life you.

And he's right. Florida's Sunshine laws can give someone a lot of help finding you. Public records - for free - can tell me what business you may own, what your mortgage is, if your property taxes are paid. The list is endless.

[tomwed]

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[Loudoll]

Originally Posted by tomwed

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I like what you wrote there.

[Loudoll]

Glad I got to see that, Tomwed.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by bluedivergirl

That's not what he's talking about. He means be careful of using the same user name, because little bread crumbs you leave as you post can lead back to the real life you.

And he's right. Florida's Sunshine laws can give someone a lot of help finding you. Public records - for free - can tell me what business you may own, what your mortgage is, if your property taxes are paid. The list is endless.

I understand those issues but I believe there are a lot more outlets for our information. Didn't the OP express his interest was determining if a poster was expressing truth about his golf acumen? That's a curiosity search. There are sites where you can plug in an address and purchase information about the person that lives there. That is more valuable that TOTV.....IMO

[rjm1cc]

Originally Posted by bluedivergirl

That's not what he's talking about. He means be careful of using the same user name, because little bread crumbs you leave as you post can lead back to the real life you.

And he's right. Florida's Sunshine laws can give someone a lot of help finding you. Public records - for free - can tell me what business you may own, what your mortgage is, if your property taxes are paid. The list is endless.

I think you nailed the problem,

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by TheVillageChicken

For those of you who wish to remain anonymous, as do I, here is a tip.

DO NOT USE THE SAME USER NAME ON MULTIPLE FORUMS OR SOCIAL MEDIA.

Yesterday, I was interested in an item in the classifieds. The seller did not leave contact info, so I simply Googled their user name and found that the user name was in use on multiple forums and even on a twitter account. A couple of clicks later, I had a name. Searched the name on White Pages and got a phone number. I now own the item that was for sale.

A while back, I got a bit annoyed at a poster who was presenting their self as a sort of golf guru. Applying the same techniques, I was able to look up their golf handicap, and just as I suspected.......................

Not trying to make a point. Just throwing out some info. Use it or ignore it....all the same to me.

Thank you for this friendly reminder.

[buzzy]

Thanks, OP, for the reminder. I just pulled up a YouTube video that I had posted a year ago as an experiment. Right there was my full name, where anyone could see it if they had searched for that subject. So, I edited my @gmail account to show a fake name.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by JoMar

I am not an advocate of anonymous posting on anything. If you can't own it, don't post it.

I am very easy to identify because of my 224 613 Project fighting for access to more practical information for survivors/victims of crimes through or in libraries. This is an international effort too which I have been doing in some way or another since January 1991. There must be hundreds of thousands of e-mails and the like out there with my name on them and they pop up every once in a while on the Internet. So, there is no use in my hiding all that much. I do have safety and security concerns but just hope that the local Sheriff's offices and the Community Watch are on the ball. Us Top Ten posters in count anyway are not trying to stay anonymous.

[Topspinmo]

Anything you post on Internet and you personal information is for sale. Goggle, Facebook ect.. Sell this information they gather. How do you think you get all these popups. Randomly by accident?? Even your photos are for sale if you use free site? How do you think they make money? By selling you information. Facebook probably the biggest seller of personal information? Even the government buys it? So don't be alarmed when you surf of something on the Internet and you get annoying popups. Or the poster can find out all the information made to the public. Bottom line if you don't want your information out there don't post personal information.

For most of us we figured this out too late! We are already on the system!

Then there are the sites that will search information for fee. IMO in the near future you will have scan disk implanted and your ever move from birth will be tracked and viewing of your location live. You are already tracked by you cell phone and new car.