Community Chat

[Mominohio]

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@Junebug54 wrote:

Out of curiosity, if someone did post their address, what could be the end result of that information?   

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@Junebug54 

THis is a valid question that I think a lot of people, especially younger people who are so used to sharing every little thing, and have never known a world without all this social media and online activity, might not understand, as well as some older people who don't really connect the dots on how easily some people can use little pieces of info about you to gain more info.

First, any part of your information standing alone (like just your name, or just your address) might not seem all that harmful. But if it can be compiled with other pieces, it can be used to steal your identity. It can be used to seek you out at your place of employment, or your home.

Second, on social media, many people put up profile information that is fully accurate. They list on their facebook profile, their real name, their high school and college, their jobs, the town they were born in, the town and state they currently live in, where they work and it is all posted so as to be seen by the public. All anyone would have to do is search their name, and all this info comes up on their page. That info could help lead someone to you physically, and provides even more information to help steal your identity. It could lead people to more easily access your public records, like birth certificate, which has even more personal information about you, and could be added to help steal your identity, or access other members of your family (your parents are listed on there, and they could be a target of someone looking to get to you). 

Then couple all the info to help people actually access you, with all the things people share on social media, like their collection of guns or jewelry, their pictures of every room of their home (which is nothing more than a road map of how to get into your home and find the things they want to take), the pics of your kids and grandkids that anyone wanting to do harm to them or you shows exactly who they are, what they look like, where they are at particular times (like sharing pics of soccer games on Saturday mornings) etc. and you open up to being invaded or in danger. 

There are so many bad actors that can take a single piece of info here, and another piece there, and put together exactly who you are, where you live, work, spend your time, identify your family member, and your assets and holdings, then cause harm. 

Some people are very careful about sharing that stuff, some aren't. Some worry about it some don't. It's just that the more that is out there, even in single little bits, the greater the possible risk for problems.

[Tinkrbl44]

@BalletBabe 

Interesting comments on this thread you started.  

NOT trying to add to anyone's paranoia here, but if you haven't already seen it, track down the 60 Minutes segment on Tik Tok, which aired earlier this year.   Scary stuff.  

[Shaunac]

What makes me nuts is when grandmothers post pictures of their grandchildren. 

No person, grandmother or not, should be posting pictures of children.  No children, I repeat. 

[Porcelain]

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@Sage04 wrote:

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@Roni18 wrote:

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@Imadickens wrote:
My hubby is retired cop. My son sold a laptop and met the buyer at a Burger King. He asked to see it and as soon as he held it he ran with it! He was fast and knew where he was going. He was chased by a cop and threw the computer and took off. The computer was ruined. Lesson learned! Police Departments let you sell high priced items out of their lobbies in some towns now.

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Good idea to seek out a safe place for exchanges.  I know my local government center has a place in the parking lot for exchanges where there is video recording.   

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I was just about to Post the same thing. In my City, the Police Department lets you use their address as a pickup. Most people don't know the PD's address so if they are legit and GPS sends them to the address, they will come in, but if they are not legit, they run.

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I hadn't heard of this. So if GPS took me to the police station when I went to deliver or purchase an item, I would find that weird at first. I'd think they gave me a fake or joke address. If the person had explained why, I would be happy to do it. But the first time it happened I think I would be confused if it hadn't been mentioned. I wouldn't run away due to wanting to steal something. I would, however, want confirmation that they really intended that location and might ask for more details.