Posted by Ken/NoCal on 12/31/10 7:23pm
Msg #366620

Spokeo.com

There's a site called Spokeo.com that's a new online USA phone book w/personal information: everything from pics you've posted on FB or web, your approx credit score, home value, income, age, etc. You can remove yourself by first searching for yourself on their site to find the URL of your page, then going to the "Privacy" button on the bottom of their page to remove yourself. (Copy & repost so people are aware

I have seen this before, but still a good reminder. It is true. Tried it myself. Was given this info from a borrower I did a signing for last night. I have removed my info from the site.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 12/31/10 9:05pm
Msg #366624

When this was posted previously I checked it

none of the info about me was remotely true...

Reply by LKT/CA on 12/31/10 9:45pm
Msg #366625

Thanks for posting this warning, Ken. I checked my own info and hubby's. We're both on there and the info is accurate. I removed mine and will inform hubby so he can remove his.

Reply by MichiganAl on 1/1/11 3:16am
Msg #366633

From Snopes

"Our advice here is similar to what we wrote in response to concerns about ZabaSearch several years ago: Spokeo does have a privacy policy that allows you to request that Spokeo remove your listing from public searches, but it's important to understand that even if you block your Spokeo listing, your personal information will still be available through the underlying sources used by Spokeo. Those third-party records will still exist and will still be publicly accessible, so the same information provided by Spokeo will still be available to others, either working on their own or using information aggregators similar to Spokeo:

Our repeated trials with requesting the blocking of a particular record through Spokeo's privacy page have found the procedure to be highly questionable: no attempt is made to verify that the person requesting the blocking of a record is the person identified by that record, our efforts have never resulted in a successfully blocked record, and Spokeo's customer service group has not responded to any inquiries. All of this has led some to speculate that one of Spokeo's core businesses is actually the collecting of e-mail addresses."

Reply by LKT/CA on 1/1/11 11:21am
Msg #366648

Re: From Snopes

<<<All of this has led some to speculate that one of Spokeo's core businesses is actually the collecting of e-mail addresses.">>>

I have 3 email addresses: (1) Personal for only close friends and family; (2) Business and (3) Junk

I use the Junk e-address ONLY for signing up for things, could care less who has it and could care less about spam. The junk emails are NEVER opened and get deleted automatically every 7 days so all the companies on earth can collect the Junk e-address as I don't bother to log into it anyway. I may check it a few times a year but beyond that.....don't need to.

Reply by jba/fl on 1/1/11 2:05pm
Msg #366659

I have a couple more than you, Lisa, but basically

the same thing: family, business, personal trips, survival stuff, and junk. All browsing starts in junk, some get promoted to categories, but not many. It is so easy to have many and keep them separate and never bother with getting spammed if you do them right.

Reply by MichiganAl on 1/1/11 10:20pm
Msg #366698

Same for me

I have a Hotmail account for all my junk email and for giving out online. I maybe check it once a week. But I think the other point here is that getting your info removed from Spokeo doesn't remove the info from the Internet. It's already out there in other places, Spokeo just consolidated it.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 1/2/11 10:39am
Msg #366721

I agree Al - it's out there...especially with this

business and the advertising we do..hard to stay anonymous in this business.

Your information is out there no matter what and if someone really wants it, they'll get it. The type and amount is about all that can be controlled - my address? Easy - I own a house - anyone with any gray matter can find it and me.

MHO

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 1/1/11 1:02pm
Msg #366652

I was listed on there more than once. It contained a 10 year old office address in one listing.

I removed but it didn't state how long it will take to remove my info, unless I missed it.

Reply by aries/CA on 1/1/11 4:31pm
Msg #366673

I put my name on that site and is actually pretty scary. I clicked on my property and is the bird's eye view, I didn't like that. I am trying to find the URL but can't find it. Can you please tell me exactly where to find it. I started from putting my name and searching it.

Thanks for letting us know about this

Reply by aries/CA on 1/1/11 5:04pm
Msg #366682

Never mind, I got it and removed my name.

Reply by Sharon Taylor on 1/1/11 11:56pm
Msg #366705

Thankfully my name is really common

Both first and last name are pretty common, and happily none of the persons the site found with my name, even my middle initial, are me. Whew.