Privacy advisory

[MarkB]

I actually meant to post this a few months ago, but forgot all about it.

This doesn't apply to everyone, but it's worth being aware of. Please be careful when posting personally identifiable information on these forums, or anywhere else on the internet. This includes your name, address and location. Unfortunately, it doesn't take much effort to get a hell of a lot of information on someone. For example, unless you're aware of this service or have explicitly asked not to be on a certain list, all it takes is a name and U.S. state and I, or anyone else who knows how to get this information, could very probably get a list of your full name, address, telephone number and even a map to your home, including satellite imagery.

For example, person A, let's call him John Smith, sends an e-mail to person B, who we'll call Eric Jones. As I'm sure you're aware, most mail clients request a name to send with the e-mail, so when Eric receives the e-mail, it will say that the e-mail is from John Smith. Now, if John Smith has filled in his location in the user profile, then Eric Jones has all the information needed to access John's address and telephone number.

You don't have to send an e-mail for someone to get this information. If you happen to post your e-mail address on the forums and it contains your name, the same applies again. There are various other ways of accessing these details.

I'm being deliberately vague here as I don't want to give too much information, but unless you protect yourself from having your private information spread around the internet, no-one else will and you're opening yourself up for a whole world of trouble.

Yes, this has been possible for years, even decades, now, but with today's "technology", it doesn't even take much thought, effort or intelligence in order to access this information.

Protect your privacy, people. No-one else will.

[BigDom]

thats right

[I.Am.Canadian]

Is it possible to disassociate your e-mail with your MVPmods account?

EDIT: If not, is there a way to change your e-mail address?

[D-Unit]

you can put a fake e-mail in...

[BigDom]

so only admin know your real one

[I.Am.Canadian]

Problem is that my "real" e-mail is wrong. I've got a new one since then. How do I change the real one before I put a "fake"?

[MarkB]

Is it possible to disassociate your e-mail with your MVPmods account?

EDIT: If not, is there a way to change your e-mail address?

Yep, you can use a fake e-mail address and that will be shown to everyone viewing your profile. Only the staff and anyone you send an e-mail to will see your real e-mail address.

EDIT - Ah, just PM a staff member and we'll change it for you.

[seanzarelli]

When signing up for an e-mail account, I usually tend to put just the first letter of both my first and last name.

[I.Am.Canadian]

Check this story out. This may make you think twice about what you say about yourself on MySpace or Nexopia or any IM or forums.

Shannon could hear the footsteps behind her as she walked toward home. The thought of being followed made her heart beat faster. "You're being silly, she told herself, "no one is following you." To be safe, she began to walk faster, but the footsteps kept up with her pace. She was afraid to look back and she was glad she was almost home. Shannon said a quick prayer, "God please get me home safe." She saw the porch light burning and she leaned against the door for a moment, relieved to be in the safety of her home. She glanced out the window to see if anyone was there. The sidewalk was empty.

After tossing her books on the sofa, she decided to grab a snack and get on-line. She logged on under her screen name ByAngel213. She checked her

Buddy List and saw GoTo123 was on.

She sent him an instant message:

By Angel213:

Hi. I'm glad you are on! I thought someone was following me home today. It was really weird!

GoTo123:

LOL You watch too much TV. Why would someone be following you? Don't you live in a safe neighbourhood?

ByAngel213:

Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my imagination cuz' I didn't see anybody when I looked out.

GoTo123:

Unless you gave your name out on-line. You haven't done that have you?

ByAngel213:

Of course not. I'm not stupid you know.

GoTo123:

Did you have a softball game after school today?

ByAngel213:

Yes and we won!!

GoTo123:

That's great! Who did you play?

ByAngel213:

We played the Hornets. LOL. Their uniforms are so gross! They look like bees. LOL

GoTo123:

What is your team called?

ByAngel213:

We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our uniforms. They are really cool.

GoTo123:

Did you pitch?

ByAngel213:

No I play second base. I got to go. My homework has to be done before my parents get home. I don't want them mad at me. Bye!

GoTo123:

Catch you later. Bye

Meanwhile.....GoTo123 went to the member menu and began to search for her profile. When it came up, he highlighted it and printed it out. He took out a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far.

Her name: Shannon

Birthday: Jan. 3, 1985

Age: 13

State where she lived: North Carolina

Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall.

Besides this information, he knew she lived in Canton because she had just told him. He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 p.m. every afternoon until her parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on Thursday afternoons on the school team, and the team was named the Canton Cats. Her favorite number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she was in the eight grade at the CantonJunior High School. She had told him all this in the conversations they had on- line. He had enough information to find her now.

Shannon didn't tell her parents about the incident on the way home from the ball park that day. She didn't want them to make a scene and stop her from walking home from the softball games. Parents were always overreacting and hers were the worst. It made her wish she was not an only child. Maybe if she had brothers and sisters, her parents wouldn't be so overprotective.

By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following her.

Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone staring at her. It was then that the memory came back. She glanced up from her second base position to see a man watching her closely.

He was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when she looked at him. He didn't look scary and she quickly dismissed the fear she had felt.

After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach. She noticed his smile once again as she walked past him. He nodded and she smiled back. He noticed her name on the back of her shirt. He knew he had found her. Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her. It was only a few blocks toShannon's home, and once he saw where she lived he quickly returned to the park to get his car.

Now he had to wait. He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to Shannon's house. He drove to a fast food restaurant and sat there until time to make his move.

Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in the living room.

"Shannon, come here," her father called. He sounded upset and she couldn't imagine why. She went into the room to see the man from the ballpark sitting on the sofa.

"Sit down," her father began, "this man has just told us a most interesting story about you."

Shannon sat back. How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen him before today!

"Do you know who I am, Shannon?" the man asked.

"No," Shannon answered.

"I am a police officer and your online friend, GoTo123."

Shannon was stunned. "That's impossible! GoTo is a kid my age! He's 14 and he lives in Michigan!"

The man smiled. "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true. You see, Shannon, there are people on-line who pretend to be kids; I was one of them. But while others do it to find kids and hurt them, I belong to a group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators. I came here to find you to teach you how dangerous it is to talk to people on-line. You told me enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you. Your name the school you went to, the name of your ball team and the position you played. The number and name on your jersey just made finding you a breeze."

Shannon was stunned. "You mean you don't live in Michigan?"

He laughed. "No, I live in Raleigh. It made you feel safe to think I was so far away, didn't it?"

She nodded.

"I had a friend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn't as lucky. The guy found her and murdered her while she was home alone. Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it all the time on-line. The wrong people trick you into giving out information a little here and there on-line. Before you know it, you have told them enough for them to find you without even realizing you have done it. I hope you've learned a lesson from this and won't do it again. Tell others about this so they will be safe too?"

"It's a promise!"

P.S. : Good post MarkB!

EDIT: And I don't want anyone saying that this can't happen to them. It always could!

[Kccitystar]

Which reminds me, I will be anonymizing myself. Thanks for the tip.

[NYM]

That story is classic. I think I heard that when I was 8.

By the way I live in Winchestertonville on Maine Street. Its the big house on the corner with the blue shutters and tire swing in front of it.

[Yankee4Life]

That story is classic. I think I heard that when I was 8.

By the way I live in Winchestertonville on Maine Street. Its the big house on the corner with the blue shutters and tire swing in front of it.

Who the hell would want to go find you?

[Bama]

Who the hell would want to go find you?

...there are sick people in this world...REALLY sick people (kidding NYM)

[D-Unit]

That story is classic. I think I heard that when I was 8.

By the way I live in Winchestertonville on Maine Street. Its the big house on the corner with the blue shutters and tire swing in front of it.

did you go visit dr. pepper?

[NYM]

A little harsh there Y4L lol. By the way I don't even know where that is. I got it from Mr. Deeds. I live in the city.

[I.Am.Canadian]

wow, I just posted that story to give people a heads up ... to help people be more safe!! If you guys are gonna argue about it ...

[Filthy57]

wow, I just posted that story to give people a heads up ... to help people be more safe!! If you guys are gonna argue about it ...

Don't mind them, it's just NYM. He's gonna stir up controversy no matter what. And then inevitably get banned again. Either that or leave "for good this time." :roll:

[All_Star]

*stares at user-profile/buddy list of random people from gaming sites*

I'm safe aren't I? :roll:

[Campo09]

...there are sick people in this world...REALLY sick people (kidding NYM)

but seriously there are very sick people in this world.

[AstroEric]

Besides this information, he knew she lived in Canton because she had just told him.

I live near Canton, sorta (and I play second base for their girl's softball team). It smells like ****. Seriously, you have to roll up your windows and turn off the air from the outside world because a paper mill makes the whole town smell like rotten eggs.

That's weird that Canton's in a story about online predators.

--Eric

[nittanylionfan3]

Man, that is scary.