Genealogy Chat

Has anyone ever been about identity theft with putting you details on here? I haven't but have just had a family member raise the concern, which I guess is fair enough. Mind you I said if they're that worried about it they better not have credit cards, have or use a mobile, they shouldn't be using a computer at home or anywhere because anything that is on it can be stolen, they shouldn't have a passport or travel anywhere, where they must give out details, don't vote, don't do the census or pretty much live because there list continues with where they can have their identy taken. So just wondering about those who have a major concern about this? Gypsyjoe

There is a great deal of paranoia on this subject due to a few unlucky people-you have to be careful the more detailed and complicated your life gets -I dont bank online but i do pay for things online,its a question of faith in the organisations you deal with. Yes people could get details of a birth death etc,and people have been known to adopt the identity of a deceased person.....it has been made more difficult though....you need a reference for a new passport,the birth cert is worthless on its own,wheras you used to use it to get a visitors passport,and with cross referencing databases,there are more tripwires or would be fraudsters.

I would have thought that not shredding papaerwork before disposal was far more likely to lead to identity theft , than anything on here . yes, i'm sure it happens, but would have thought it quite rare Jess

it's not something I worry about if I did I might as well be dead. There are so many places that your identity can be stolen that changing one thing doesn't mean that it won't happen. Yes Jess that's something that can happen as well. I say live your life and don't worry about the little Shite it's not worth it, I guess some peopple just think their more important than others which is exactly what these family members are like. Gypsyjoe

For your own peace of mind put the minimum amount of information for living relatives on your tree. Since this subject was first raised a few months ago I've removed my two young children and changed my living relatives to 'my husband', 'my mum' etc. This site leaves no option then to put the birth year in, unless of course you put 0's, the place of birth can just be the county. Criminals will always find a way, just look at the recent chip and PIN fraud, it's also up to individuals to be vigilant and not be careless with their private information.

I have a shredder which I use for everything that has my name/family members names on - even adverts. But to be honest, look how easy it is on here to look up people in the electoral rolls and you could then buy their birth certs if you really wanted. One thing I am a bit careful about now, since I put my family home page on the web is never to use my mothers maiden name as a password - that would just be too easy for anyone.

All these points are true. We have to be careful but then there is going overboard, the people who do this sort of thing know where to find the bent people that will sell the info from such places as social security etc.

I don't worry for myself....life is far too short - do everything on line and don't own a shredder........but I would try to protect other living people on my tree - It's one thing to have your identity stolen through your own complacency.....quite another to have it stolen through someone elses!! Hmmmmmm - ''try'' makes it sound like a half-hearted attempt.....I don't divulge anyone's details without their say so! Merry

I got the shredder after son was woken 3 times in his city centre apartment - only 3 storeys high - he is in top flat - and saw 2 men going through the communal bin area. He rang police who turned up AFTER men had gone but on the second occasion they actually came and took them away. Next day son rings and gets told they were let off as they said they had lost their mobile phone and were looking for it!! But says son, they dont actually live in our flats. Sick, eh? Next time he saw a guy going through the bin with a torch at 3 a.m. in the morning, opened his window and shouted down, Can I help you? Guy turned off his torch and didnt say anything. Very tired son irritated shouted, Have you lost something, I will call the police to assist you. Guy shot off in his car. Next day son went down to tidy up all the stuff thrown about. In it he found a full bank statement showing a £30k credit, a credit card notification with pin number still attached. He went out and bought a shredder straight away and I followed suit.

Well, even I wouldn't put my pin number in the bin with credit card details! Not that I've had a new pin number for 20 years! I would have thought there were a lot easier ways of identity theft than searching through my vegetable peelings....though living in a city is presumably more risky?! Makes me larff that now you have to use a pin with your card instead of signature, my best friend uses her hubby's card all the time, as no one cares that she is Mrs X and he is Mr, as no one looks at the card!! LOL Nice and secure, that! Merry

In this day and age I think it is sensible to be a bit careful. While not wanting to be paranoid, the problems and sheer time and inconvenience incurred if you are a victim of identity theft cannot be emphasised enough. I take the following steps, and they take very little of my time. I regard them as an insurance policy: I shred anything with any personal details at all before I throw it in the bin (this really does not take much time). Certainly I bank and buy on-line, but I do glance through my statements when they come in and query anything I can't place (no-one has yet objected to this, although always so far it has been a genuine entry that I have forgotten!), I do make sure that pin number notifications are locked away or securely destroyed. I only buy through secure sites (little gold padlock bottom right). I keep a separate credit card with a lowish limit and only ever use that for on-line purchases. When using a credit card in a shop or restaurant I do NOT allow the card out of my sight, and in the days when you had paper slips with carbons, I took the carbon away as well as my copy. I hunch over the pad when inputting my pin number. I don't take cash out of hole-in-the-wall machines if I can avoid it, and if I do have to, I look at the machine very carefully before I use it. This may not keep me totally safe, but it certainly lowers the odds, and costs me nothing. Tina Oh, and PS, I never believe emails purportely coming from my bank or credit card company which instruct me to click on a link and update my details, and if said bank or credit card company rings me up and refuses to tell me why they want to speak to me until I have confirmed who I am by telling them some piece of personal information, I politely point out to them that they cannot prove to me who they are and I am not stupid enough to fall for that one. The really galling thing is that they probably ARE the bank - they really should have more sense! Tina

Quote: Gypsy Joe Foley: 'I say live your life and don't worry about the little Shite it's not worth it, I guess some peopple just think their more important than others which is exactly what these family members are like'. ME: I often warn other members about putting living members details on GR but that's not because I consider myself important - more that I worry about other people becoming a victim of identity theft and getting ripped off. I give out advice but it is up to others to decide whether they wish to heed the advice or ignore it. I prefer to take the Boy Scout approach of being prepared rather than wailing about my misfortunes afterwards! I have a shredder and haven't put living relatives on my tree. I did have living relatives on there, but took them off after considering the possible ramifications. I never show anyone my tree on here. I just compile a report for any contacts from my Family Tree Software programme. Gypsy Joe, I admire your devil may care attitude and really hope it never fails you, but some of us prefer to be cautious - I still enjoy life and live life to the full, but I know that not everyone in this world is nice or honest - sad but true! Cheers, Horatia