Serious Identity Theft Issues on VBForums.Com

[Mark Gambo]

Open Letter to all members of this forum

I have been noticing a potentially serious problems with some of the contributors on this forum. I shocked with the number of persons who list their date of births and other personal information (i.e., city where they live, etc.). I suggest that each member of this forum review their Profiles for information that can be used to establish a fraudulent Identity.

For your information.


Moderators I suggest that we make this post a sticky for a few days.

[RobDog888]

As with any public source of information, id theves can create a fraudulent id from just about any amount of id data.
Its always good to remember that what your displaying is Public.

Security is always a main concern here on the Forums and we take it seriously. If the members wish to display information its up
to them to make the judgement call of what they are going or not going to display.

If you have id theft concerns then you can limit what you want to display. Location and DOB are not required to be displayed
in a profile.

[m0ney$]

What do you mean? That people are putting cities and dates in their profiles that are untrue? If so why is this such a big deal?

[dglienna]

Only members see profile information.

[Jacob Roman]

It's not really much of a problem. For it to truly be a problem, listing your social security number, credit card numbers, ip address w/port, or even email addresses for spammers to obtain, would make it a problem.

[Mark Gambo]

What do you mean? That people are putting cities and dates in their profiles that are untrue? If so why is this such a big deal?

I shocked with the number of persons who list their date of births and other personal information (i.e., city where they live, etc.).

What I meant is that some Forum Users are posting both of these pieces of information.

Only members see profile information

When I signed up I only had to provide an e-mail address once that was confirmed I was made a member. All I am trying to say is don't make the bad guys job any easier. Just my two cents.

[m0ney$]

If Mr. Roman would be so kindly as to show me how to put pics in signatures, then we could all be friends and program the night away. Or for my instance, have people show you how to program the night away cuz you don't know what you're doing.

[Jacob Roman]

If someones real name, address, and location were a problem, then the White Pages telephone book wouldn't exist, because that would be a good way to obtain everyones info.

I'm telling ya, it's not a big deal.

[Mark Gambo]

Jacob,

If someones real name, address, and location were a problem, then the White Pages telephone book wouldn't exist, because that would be a good way to obtain everyones info..

The last time I checked my date of birth wasn't listed along with my Name, Address and Phone Number.

I'm telling ya, it's not a big deal.

There are a few free and a ton of pay web sites where a person could find out a lot of information about you with your name and date of birth. I am just passing along some helpful information if people choose not to take my advise that is fine.

Just my two cents!!

[Fishy]

Hi,

Browsing one of the posts I found My IP address and ISP provider on one of the members replies. As I run a firewall I'm not overly bothered but to those of you out there that don't be aware that someone is scanning ports.

Fishy.

[dglienna]

You are the only one that can see your IP address, and it is the IP address of your machine on the internet, not your local address behind a firewall.

[Jacob Roman]

Like I said man, don't worry bout it.

[visualAd]

All personal information in your profile is optional, you do not have to provide it. Identity theft requires more than a name, a vague idea of the persons location and their date of birth. None the less you can still choose not to supply this information.

Your IP address and your host name are sent with every request to a web page, so they cannot really be classed as private in nature.

[RobDog888]

You can not obtain a birth certificate or get enough information to get one since you need more then name & dob.
You need mothers maiden name and place of birth, not current location.

Without a birth certificate or the amount of info to get one you can not even get a social security number. Without these
two pieces of information they can not establish any credit under your id.

Your email address is tucked away behind the email send form so its still hard to get that. Most email addresses are
obtained from members posting the address in a post asking members to email them the answer instead of posting it.

[Static]

You have more of a chance getting ripped off by using your credit card at a store than having you Name/Address/DOB posted on the net.

Same thing goes for internet shopping...most places..a person doesnt even see your credit card! just a computer does....no worries!

[Jacob Roman]

That's exactly what I'm trying to say.

[Mark Gambo]

This is the last thing I am going to say regarding this matter. Do your self a favor and take a look at Kevin Mitnick's Book - The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security and you will realize what a good social engineer can do with small bits of information like for example your name, your date of birth, where you live and anyother information he/she can glean from your posts (like what you do for a living and where you work). I even sent private messages to some of you who posted enough information in your profile for me to search for your information on a free web site. The data I sent included similiar names (relatives), addresses, dates of birth, and phone numbers. For a mere $50 to $75 I probably could have found out more information about you, and nobody would be able to trace it back to me.

Where I work we have a web based informational service (Lexus/Nexus) that if I enter your name, date of birth, and city/state, I can access unbelievable amounts of data including but not limited to: variations of the spelling of your last name, names of you relatives, prior addresses phone numbers, bankruptcies, divorces, car accidents, insurance claims, etc. Even information about your neighbors, such as their names, addresses and phone numbers. Now armed with this data, a good social engineer could call your mother, father, brother, wife or other relative of friend purporting to be from the credit card company, insurance company, police department and they just need to "update" their records and they want to verify your information such as your mother's maiden name, your social security number, etc. Don't say this is not possible because I have investigated cases where this has happened. People think just because the person on the other end of the phone is a Police Officer everthing is alright and I can "Trust" him enough to give him any and all information he requests.

Have you been "Phished" lately? People are still responding to these requests to update their PayPal accounts, etc. So I know it happens. Try getting a negative information off of your Credit Report, it could cost hundreds of dollars to have this information removed from your credit report.

Another thing, how many of you have minor children? Have you checked their credit reports lately? I have seen instances where credit cards have been issued in their names and huge bills are run up. The youngest person I have ever seen that this happened to was seven (7) years old. So these things are happening. A major Medical Insurance Company (GHI) still up until last year was using the subscriber's social security number as the plan's account number.

What I was trying to convey to members of this forum is to not post personal information on the Web or to give it out unnecessarily. Ask why when someone asks you for your social security number, don't be so quick to give it to them. Unless you are applying for credit or governmental identification, I can see any reason why anyone would need this information. If you choose not to follow my suggestions, that is fine I am just trying to prevent you from experiencing the heart ache that I see on a daily basis.

Thanks to everyone for posting their opinions and if I helped one person to prevent ID Theft, I accompished what I started out to do.

....We now return to our regular scheduled programming ....(Mark Gambo steps off of his soap box and steps back into obscurity)

[Edited by MartinLiss]

[BrianHawley]

Having had some of my posts moved to other forums on the very slightest of pretexts, I'm wondering what this thread is doing in the Classic Visual Basic forum

[Joacim Andersson]

Having had some of my posts moved to other forums on the very slightest of pretexts, I'm wondering what this thread is doing in the Classic Visual Basic forum

I agree, this post should probably be moved to the Forum Feedback.

[Mark Gambo]

I agree maybe it should be moved to the chit chat board

[BrianHawley]

I agree maybe it should be moved to the chit chat board

But the content is absolutely right! People are too careless - that's why all my personal data is fictional(ish)

[BodwadUK]

Most people dont use their name (like me) so it is fine. They could search Nottingham for someone born on the same day as me but what more could they do anyway

[BrianHawley]

Now I know why Visa refused my card application in the name King Bodwad XXI.

(Brian Hawley is an actor who was in 2001 A Space Oddessy, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer by the way. I doubt anybody knows that.)

[wossname]

Do your self a favor and take a look at Kevin Mitnick's Book - The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security

Good book that.

[Mark Gambo]

Most people dont use their name (like me) so it is fine. They could search Nottingham for someone born on the same day as me but what more could they do anyway

That is all I was trying to say, make it harder for the bad guys!


BodwadUK,
By the way, in the UK, do you guys have something similiar to our social security number that you use to credit purposes, retirement beneifits, etc?

Thanks!

[BodwadUK]

We have an NI number but I dont think its the same. NI = National insurance and allows taxes to be taken to the correct amount and also sorts pensions etc. NI is for the government and employers only

[davebat]

NI and social security are the same thing

[Wokawidget]

Have peoples IQ's suddenly dropped?

Do you honestly believe that your date of birth and city can be used for identity theft?

I am soooo glad that my common sense is higher than that of the average cold hot dog.

Woka

[Sgt-Peppa]

Have peoples IQ's suddenly dropped?

Do you honestly believe that your date of birth and city can be used for identity theft?

I am soooo glad that my common sense is higher than that of the average cold hot dog.

Woka

Your post looked different a minute ago! Did you get scared?

[Something Else]

Woka!
Get Down! Outa Site!
You're getting wound up for nothing.
Next thing you know, you'll be giving him your real name and challenging him to do his worst!

RUN AWAY!!!

[DWRoelands]

This is the last thing I am going to say regarding this matter.

Whenever someone says THAT on a message board, you can be positive that it's NOT the last thing they're going to say.

[Wokawidget]

Your post looked different a minute ago! Did you get scared?

Hahaha...yea. I insulted the thread starter, then got ashamed. I PM'd myself saying not to do it again or I will ban myself. I then toasted the message.

Something Else...Yea, damn right I'm getting wound up.

Mark Gambo...what is your take regarding on line pharmacies...and errr...dodgy dealings with credit cards, fake drugs and spam...???? Just intregued

Woka

[Sgt-Peppa]

Hahaha...yea. I insulted the thread starter, then got ashamed. I PM'd myself saying not to do it again or I will ban myself. I then toasted the message.
Woka

[Mark Gambo]

Have peoples IQ's suddenly dropped?

Wokawidget,
Some persons on this forum were/are using their "Real Names" and are also listing their Date of Birth. So I agree with you. Of course, these items maybe fictious but I know for sure that at least one person was worried enough to remove their date of birth when I was able to find the name, address and phone number based upon the information in their profile. You are correct in your statement on it's face:

Do you honestly believe that your date of birth and city can be used for identity theft?

is correct, your date of birth and your city where you live alone can not be used for identity theft. If you add the person's name and any information that a theft can glean from your posts and your signatures (Home Pages, Professional Affiliations [MSCE], etc.) may give a theft enough information about you.

This is the last thing I am going to say regarding this matter

I knew when I wrote this I would regret writting it.

I am soooo glad that my common sense is higher than that of the average cold hot dog.

Woka

I don't think that this has been established yet

This is the really last thing I am going to say regarding this matter (tougue firmly in cheek)

[Something Else]

Hahaha...yea. I insulted the thread starter, then got ashamed. I PM'd myself saying not to do it again or I will ban myself. I then toasted the message.

Oh, Sorry!

I put it in a text file after it disappeared.
Would you like it back?

[Mark Gambo]

Mark Gambo...what is your take regarding on line pharmacies...and errr...dodgy dealings with credit cards, fake drugs and spam...???? Just intregued

I don't have a problem with using my credit card online because I know I am not responsible for any fraudulent transactions. As for the remainder of you message, I am a little intregued as to what you are referring to.

This is the truly and really last thing I am going to say regarding this matter.

[Something Else]

BTW, How long have you been WokaWidget?

Is this you listed here?
http://www.boreworms.com/paulh/teams9798.php

[mendhak]

Have peoples IQ's suddenly dropped?

Do you honestly believe that your date of birth and city can be used for identity theft?

I am soooo glad that my common sense is higher than that of the average cold hot dog.

Woka

You apparently don't know how easy it is.

That said, I think it's the member's discretion, if they want to, they can. Else they can do like some of us have done.

[Wokawidget]

I don't have a problem with using my credit card online because I know I am not responsible for any fraudulent transactions. As for the remainder of you message, I am a little intregued as to what you are referring to.

I am refering to the domain of your email address That entire site screams identity theft at me



Woka

[Wokawidget]

BTW, How long have you been WokaWidget?

Is this you listed here?
http://www.boreworms.com/paulh/teams9798.php

Yup, that was when I was at uni
I sucked at guessing dead people.

Think I have been a Woka since my Oxford Uni interview back in 92/93