Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Not sure where to post this thread, but this forum seemed like the most likely place. I am sure some of you do not know about this, so you are in for a shock....
If you google your name and/or your address, you will be STUNNED to see tons of your personal information posted on websites owned and operated by some scum trying to make money off of selling your personal information. I discovered this a few years ago and asked to be removed from several sites, which I was, but I found out that after a while, they republish your information all over again.
I would personally like to put a. bullet through the heads of the scumbags who do this, but since I am unlikely to ever find out who all they are and track them down one by one, I would like to know if there is some way to PERMANENTLY stop them.
Have you had experience with this sort of thing? What do you recommend? I just cannot believe anyone would invade people's private lives like this.
Your state is probably selling some of this information.
A+
I just saw in the news a few months ago where my state passed a law making this legal. The only stipulation here is that for any viewer to access the official database, they have to be a "private investigator"...which isn't a high hurdle.
Generally, each website has a different owner and they do whatever they want. It's a crapshoot whether anything you do gets your info removed. Notifying them can even work against you, because that gives them a confirmation that the info on you has value.
I just try to be careful who I give my personal info to.
The state "sells" people's info?? I never heard of that before! I am going to contact them.
Good luck with that. It's not like they are selling your name for a set price. What they are doing is selling subscriptions to the "official database" Where for a fixed fee, inquiring minds gain access to the same records that (example) a police agency would use to find your next of kin if you were killed in a traffic accident.
If anyone knows what the official jargon is for that set of records, I'd be grateful if you shared.
The theory is, it's supposed to assist legitimate entities (think "debt collectors") track down deadbeat debtors, so to gain access the debt collectors would have to have a private investigator onstaff who is licensed in the state where records are being sought, and then pay the subscription fee.
But evidently they never anticipated that the Nigerian E-mail scam artists might pay their licensing fee, take the exam, and become "lawful" private investigators.
It's one of the biggest personal privacy rip-offs there has ever been, and it's happening right under our noses.
So, if you've paid your state income tax, or renewed your license plate recently, anyone who knows how to jump through the hoops will be able to find you, using the official record...nice, huh?
Not sure where to post this thread, but this forum seemed like the most likely place. I am sure some of you do not know about this, so you are in for a shock....
If you google your name and/or your address, you will be STUNNED to see tons of your personal information posted on websites owned and operated by some scum trying to make money off of selling your personal information. I discovered this a few years ago and asked to be removed from several sites, which I was, but I found out that after a while, they republish your information all over again.
I would personally like to put a. bullet through the heads of the scumbags who do this, but since I am unlikely to ever find out who all they are and track them down one by one, I would like to know if there is some way to PERMANENTLY stop them.
Have you had experience with this sort of thing? What do you recommend? I just cannot believe anyone would invade people's private lives like this.
Unlikely.
I don't know if this is how it works for all states, but where I live, property info, court info, etc. are all public information.
Most of this information isn't really "private" per se. anyways. Unfortunately a lot of this info can be pulled from different sources to make one database. And companies like Spokeo, Intelius, Truthfinder, etc. make a killing by pulling this info together and selling it.
Yes - you can opt out. But the way these things typically work is that your request is retroactive. Meaning they will clean their current records of your info. However, the minute they go out to grab new records - those new records may include your info again. Hm... perhaps start a company that will do that for you...
The privacy laws in the US is fairly lacking compared to other places like Europe. Some states are starting to introduce legislation (CA, NY, etc.). But nothing expansive yet or at the Federal level. There are Federal laws, but most are aimed at the Federal government themselves vs. private companies. There are of course, regulations that are aimed at specific industries that mainly deal with medical, financial, etc. data (HIPAA, FERPA, FFIEC, etc.).
It's just the world we live in IMO. For the most part, 80% of the info I give out anyways. And as a government employee, my salary is public info as well. I do find that annoying... but not enough to lose sleep over it.
Good luck with that. It's not like they are selling your name for a set price. What they are doing is selling subscriptions to the "official database" Where for a fixed fee, inquiring minds gain access to the same records that (example) a police agency would use to find your next of kin if you were killed in a traffic accident.
If anyone knows what the official jargon is for that set of records, I'd be grateful if you shared.
The theory is, it's supposed to assist legitimate entities (think "debt collectors") track down deadbeat debtors, so to gain access the debt collectors would have to have a private investigator onstaff who is licensed in the state where records are being sought, and then pay the subscription fee.
But evidently they never anticipated that the Nigerian E-mail scam artists might pay their licensing fee, take the exam, and become "lawful" private investigators.
It's one of the biggest personal privacy rip-offs there has ever been, and it's happening right under our noses.
So, if you've paid your state income tax, or renewed your license plate recently, anyone who knows how to jump through the hoops will be able to find you, using the official record...nice, huh?
It is a disgrace. I did a little on-line research, and states are making upwards of 100 million dollars doing this. I contacted the governor's office to complain. There should be some sort of MAJOR BACKLASH not only against the states doing this but also the b*st*rds buying and selling people's private information.
I don't know if this is how it works for all states, but where I live, property info, court info, etc. are all public information.
Most of this information isn't really "private" per se. anyways. Unfortunately a lot of this info can be pulled from different sources to make one database. And companies like Spokeo, Intelius, Truthfinder, etc. make a killing by pulling this info together and selling it.
Yes - you can opt out. But the way these things typically work is that your request is retroactive. Meaning they will clean their current records of your info. However, the minute they go out to grab new records - those new records may include your info again. Hm... perhaps start a company that will do that for you...
The privacy laws in the US is fairly lacking compared to other places like Europe. Some states are starting to introduce legislation (CA, NY, etc.). But nothing expansive yet or at the Federal level. There are Federal laws, but most are aimed at the Federal government themselves vs. private companies. There are of course, regulations that are aimed at specific industries that mainly deal with medical, financial, etc. data (HIPAA, FERPA, FFIEC, etc.).
It's just the world we live in IMO. For the most part, 80% of the info I give out anyways. And as a government employee, my salary is public info as well. I do find that annoying... but not enough to lose sleep over it.
True! Friends in Europe are literally gobsmacked that this is happening here. In European countries, there are heavy penalties for doing this sort of thing. The same is true for marketing. Companies are not allowed to just send out junk mail to any and every known address.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
