privacy good or bad

[duncan macgregor]

Just for fun I looked up my name on GOOGLE. DUNCAN MACGREGOR [BUILDER].
Imagine my surprise when up comes posts from sharechat with me bleating on about leaky homes. Some of you guys out there must be well documented for all to see. I have nothing to hide [honest as the day Is long]yuk. I feel slightly uneasy about It all, I feel something Is not quite right. What about my mate KIWI and the sheep jokes, will he be under suspicion for ever after. Look yourself up guys who knows they might be on to you. Some of you people In combat with each other might point to the website for evidence. The point Is tell me your name and I will tell you who and what you are. CHEERS MACDUNK

[Risk]

google is only the tip of the iceberg...
if you know where to look, you can find out a lot more about almost anyone...so it is risky to post real information about yourself online.

If you do, you open yourself to stalkers, SPAM, credit card or other financial fraud, or even identity theft. etc

Although you might think the risk is low, you have to keep in mind that the internet is worldwide...and there are plenty of weirdos out there.

keep the internet a safe place...wear a pseudo-name. :-)

[foodee]

Yikes!:( Somebody is always watching.
Dun-Mac now is he the real McCoy[?]- I do believe he is.;)

[k1w1]

Risk is right in what he says about posting, duncan you should use a pseudoynm to protect your real identity from theft. Why dont you post as macdunk, thats what we all call you anyway.

K1w1

[blockhead]

You fellows are right, even using the pseudo name won't hide you for long, I think if you ask around NZ long enough you will discover who the real Blockhead is,...he is still a nice chap though !!

Blockhead

[Risk]

Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in Western countries, and it can happen for months before you realise...this article is a good intoduction: http://xtramsn.co.nz/technology/0,,7002-2429156,00.html

(macdunk, I spent 5 minutes looking, and I think I know a few "private" things about you already...except they are all there for the public to see, as all I used was google and 2 NZ sites....scary!)

[fundir]

blockhead,

the scammers, as a general rule, only go after the easy prey on the net as there are so many of them and although a simple protection such as a pseudoynm would stop someone determined with the right resources from finding your real identity it will keep you off most scammers radars.

Some other tips:

* do not use you private (isp provided) email address for web sites, use a freemail account, or isp's will often give you additional email addresses. I've had my account for 6 years and it still never recieves spam.

* don't download active controls from the internet, better still don't use activex controls at all. I have found the best way to do this is to use a browser (firefox) that doesn't support them.

* don't use your name as you login id. Are you aware that your browser will send your user id as well as ip address to a web site unless explitely configured not to.

* never post your email address anywhere on the internet in an unmangled format, there are bots scanning every resource on the internet to harvest email addresses.

*run a secure OS (WinXP, Linux) and don't give your day to day account administrative rights, if you can't install software then malicious web site won't be able to install their spyware.... The added bonus is that it's harder for you (and your kids) to break things!

[Placebo]

I make a point of searching for myself at least once a week on Google. Just to see what I have been up to.

This week, I've written a paper on intellectual property law for a Canadian journal and have been called up on the England cricket tour to Sri Lanka.

Toodle pip!

[wsheridan]

I just searched and found this .... cool!

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0211/S00021.htm

[duncan macgregor]

What do you reckon guys lets see how good all this crap Is.
Four questions about dummy coming up
1 I paid my rates for the year three weeks ago to who
2 do I have a credit card or not
3 I pay all my bills by cheque from which bank
4 retired from building at christmas what do I do now [passed an exam]to do It
My name Is Duncan Macgregor what Is my favourite sport and why.

I will next monday make a true and honest post with all the answers.
Its not about me Its about you, find out about me to find about you. If you look In the mirror I am watching you
!st question to get right you must be on to me
2nd question50 pc chance
3rd question one chance In five perhaps
4th question You get this one right one chance In ten maybe.
Cmon guys you cant do It or can U?.PERHAPS
CHEERS MACDUNK

[Risk]

I'm not a stalker, so I dont have the desire to take up the challenge, but to those who do, here are some ideas:
-look up his profile on sharetrader
-find some free databases, such as telecom's white pages or auckland's online rate details?
(oh, and if he had a credit card, why would he pay all his bills by cheque?)
;)

of course it could all be a red herring...

[duncan macgregor]

Risk, sorry but i find this really Interesting as I think other people will. What happens to me might happen to you. I am for real Its not about me Its about us. I promise seven days time good or bad will tell you right or wrong. Go for It risk, Let me see how good or bad you are find out about me . I might easily ask about you
but all I want to know Is what you find out about me. I would be a coward to ask about you all I ask Is find out about me for seven days then worry about what your past might turn up.
No red herrings no bull only yes or no How good are you risk give me heaps.

CHEERS MACDUNK

[Capitalist]

Are you crazy MacDunk? There are enough nutjobs and weirdos around without encouraging them :(

[duncan macgregor]

Perhaps Capitalist I am a nut job without the realisation who cares I am Interested.

have a go your good self Macdunk

[Risk]

duncan, as I said before...I am not interested in finding out more about you, or anyone else on this site...I have far more interesting thing to do. ;)

I only tried to warn you, and others, of the potential dangers of making private details public....

It is just common sense.

[duncan macgregor]

RISK, Its not about finding out about me It Is about people being aware of how vulnerable they are becoming. I only wish to demonstrate the fact. What bank do I trade with etc?.
cheers MACDUNK

[Risk]

hopefully not the sperm bank. :-)

[duncan macgregor]

RISK, Nice try but not enough Interest. Prefer something a bit more FUN DA MENTAL.
MACDUNK

[Binklebonk]

I've also found my name on google via entries I made in sharechat several years ago always appears in top few entries- that made me very uneasy too. In fact have never used sharechat since then and have always used an alias ever since.