The growth in internet use and services moving online has brought a mass of data to the fingertips of every person who has access to the internet. While we have mentioned using social networking sites to locate some people, this does not always work. However, many governments around the world are placing their census material online for the public to browse and search. For many people this could be the perfect starting point to finding a loved one they have lost touch with, or perhaps someone who has a debt outstanding.

The beauty of the internet is the fact that so much information is out there if you know where to look with eBooks now available giving full details of where to look and what to search for. Many of these search bureaus will have you believe that they have special contacts who have access to information which you will never see. Well this is not always correct!

Telephone numbers, places of work, old addresses and even old school sites can often lead you to that snippet of information which might make your search that much easier. Not only will you feel a sense of achievement after you have found the person you were after, but you will likely have saved yourself a mountain of money as well.

Many people seem to be put off by the vast array of commercial internet sites which dominate the people search sector. Many of these sites pay big money to get to the top of the search engines, often leaving the information providing websites lower down the rankings out of sight. Next time you search the net for someone or a particular piece of information do not contain you search to the first few pages of Google search results. Take your time and work your way past the commercial outfits and into the information providers, which is where you will be able to gain leads and additional information at zero or very little cost.

The bureaus may be able to find that missing person quicker than you, but with time and a little experience you could save yourself a small fortune.

a

Do You Need To Pay Big Bucks To Find A Missing Person?

The latest scam in the US revolves around the Franklin Bank, a bank which many people in the country do business with. The website they are advised to visit is www.bankfranklinsecure.com where they are invited to enter their bank details, passwords, etc. The website is just a scam and the fraudsters will record the information that you enter and raid your bank account at a later date – often leaving customers with nothing!

There is some confusion as to how the scammers actually obtain live cell phone numbers, but there is a suggestion that specially adapted phone machines will work their way through numbers on a sequential basis until they find live lines – then the text alert will be delivered. These machines are common place in the marketing industry and while often frowned upon by the public, they are legal and do have legitimate uses.

As the cost of these scams is relatively low, the return on time and money for the crooks can be enormous. Even if they are successful with just one in a hundred attempts to coerce information from the public this can lead to massive financial returns. The fact that many of these scams are based overseas means that the US judiciary will probably never catch them.

You should always ignore unsolicited emails and texts, and never give out any confidential information over the phone. If you have a problem with your bank then you need to visit in person where possible, or use official websites to communicate your comments.

a

The ID Crooks Using Text Messages

There are a growing number of complaints whereby neighbours in the same block of flats have been found applying for a whole host of items in the name of their next door neighbours, items such as loans, credit cards, online purchases, etc. The scam involves intercepting the post for the whole flat / apartment block and taking out the bogus applications so that the victim is not aware of the scam.

The scammers have then been know to contact the credit card companies, loan companies, etc and inform them that the person has now moved address. The new address would be that of an accomplice, or somewhere that the scammer could pick up with post without any risks, and then use the credit card, etc without the knowledge of the victim.

There are literally thousands of victims around the world who will at this moment be suffering from this kind of ID theft and they may never actually find out about it until the debt collection agencies and the banks / credit card companies starting searching for them. These are the simplest of scams to carryout and many people have literally made millions of dollars from them. So how can you avoid falling victim to such scams?

It is vital that you check your credit records on a regular basis and see what applications have been made in your name and on your behalf. Too many people just assume that their credit records are correct, that they have not fallen victim to an ID theft but these are the prime targets for the scammers.

a

Beware Of Your Next Door Neighbour!

In simple terms the Phorm advertising system allows ISPs to monitor their user’s browsing habits and then using a sophisticated system they will then be able to show the user adverts which are perfectly targeted at their own specific interests. However, it is the way in which this data is collected and stored which is causing most concern.

The key point seems to be the identification of an individual user, and while Phorm claim that the system does not actually store personal details, each surfer being tracked is given their own ID number on the Phorm system. This is where the problems begin.

Firstly, many argue that the very fact that each user is allocated a specific number means that any one user can be identified and is not ‘anonymous’ on the Phorm database. The second major problem is the fact that the Phorm system is actually ‘intercepting’ your web page choices on the internet, in direct contravention of UK laws which state that the interception of internet traffic is illegal in its own right.

As the advertising market on the internet hots up it has been revealed that BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk have all been working with Phorm for some time. Indeed, recent leaks from BT show that the company was carrying out secret tests as early as 2006, another action which many believe was immoral (in that users did not know they were being monitored) and illegal by the very fact they were intercepting internet traffic.

The issue of internet surveillance and the Phorm system looks likely to end up in the court rooms with a number of parties unhappy about the system, the methods used and the fact that a substantial number of surfers have been part of ‘tests’ without their knowledge.

a

Is Phorm A Step Too Far?

While just a matter of months ago the vast majority of surfers would not even have given these con tricks a second glance it seems that more and more people are becoming desperate and money is very tight. “What have I really got lose?”, “Surely they can’t all be scams?” and “Where did they get my email from?” are all questions that people are asking themselves, seemingly trying to convince themselves that everything is ok.

The likes of PayPal has always been a target for the fraudsters in the knowledge that the vast majority of internet users will have access to a PayPal account for eBay or maybe even for their own inline business. However, the banking sector is the new leader in the scam league with more and more people receiving unsolicited emails asking to confirm their bank details – emails which are not even addressed to the customer!

A simple piece of spyware is often connected to these emails so when recipients click on the link their every key press is recorded – banking websites, URLs, user names and passwords are all noted and saved by the scammers. They may not even use your details for some time, they may actually sell them on or you may be one of the lucky ones that escape – it is one big lottery!

But why put yourself in that position?

No bank will ask you to confirm you details via a link in an email, no bank will address you as “Dear Sir”, “Dear Madam” or “Dear Customer” so these should ring your first alarm bell. Whether you choose to listen to these “bells” is up to you.

a

ID Scams On The Increase But Why Do People Never Learn?

When you sit down and think exactly what the internet does for you, your friends and your family it is easy to concentrate on the array of online shopping sites, free advice and chances to create your own business, but is there more?

Over the last few years we have seen a number major data protection issues with more and more confidential and detailed information being leaked onto the internet. Areas of society which were effectively part of a closed private network, such as your banking details, as now suddenly at risk from hackers as more and more of us use their online systems.

Social Security numbers are readily available to those who know where to look and how to gain access, telephone numbers are available and much more of your private information than was available just 20 years ago. Are we too exposed?

Those who do not see any increased security risks are either very confident about the firewalls and security software employed by surfers and companies alike or they have their head in the sand. As with any new development in the world, there is always a downside – investing in the stock market offered the public the chance to make large return, but the chance to lose, auction sites have given us the chance to nab a bargain, but are they always what they seem – and we need to appreciate and be very careful about security issues.

The juggernaut which is the internet is still hurtling at high speed brushing aside all in its way, and while very useful in so many aspects of our everyday life, there are dangers to personal safety and financial security.

a

Does The Internet Reflect The Inner Workings Of The World?

The chances are that on your travels around the internet you will have across one of those “personal sales letter” sites, the ones which tell you all about the owner, where they live, how many people in their family (are you getting the message now?), etc. The ones which will give away everything about a person, including their phone number and their address!

As if that was not enough, you may also have come across a number of sites where the owners (in their wisdom) actually have a scanned copy of their signature on the site to make it more personal - but is this a step too far?

Can you imagine if you are a potential fraudster, you will have the persons name, probably a history their working life, their address, their phone number and a copy of their signature. If that is not enough to start some kind of fraudulent activity then what is?

What can often start out as a business venture whereby you look to give that personal feel and communicate with your customers on their level, has on numerous occasions led to substantial financial losses for many. On the surface there is no reason why you cannot interact with your readers on a personal level, but in reality there are literally thousands of fraudster trawling the internet for sites just like this – sites which actually do their hard work for them!

The moral of this post is, if you do run an online business only give the information that you need to give and no more. It is nice to be close to your customers but at the end of the day you are not out to make new friends, you just want their business!

a

Are Internet Entrepreneurs Leaving Themselves Open To Attack?

The problem with these social networking sites is the over willingness for many members, normally youngsters, to give away far too much detail about their lives and interests. We are seeing more and more youngsters placing everything from their date of birth to their school address online for all to see. While 99% of those who view the information would never dream of doing anything with it, there are some who would. While the paedophiles quite rightly take the limelight as regulators fight to keep them offline and away from the most vulnerable of society, there are also a growing number of fraud cases involving older members of social networks.

Many people do not realise that by simply stating where you were born and when, together with your full name, anyone in the UK for example can obtain a copy of your birth certificate. Using this detail it is then possible to obtain passports, credit cards and the like, and then the real fun begins!

More and more people are suddenly finding themselves black listed for no reason or on the end of demands for repayment of monies they did not even know about. Too many of us think that it will never happen to us, and while the facts indicate that the chances of it happening to you are very low, the more you leave yourself open to attack the more chance it will happen. These fraudsters are no fools, they are ruthless, they are methodical and they will bleed you dry given a chance.

It is vital that when joining any of the vast array of social networking sites you do not give away personal information, because one day you might just regret it!

a

Are Social Networks A Help Or A Hindrance?

There have been a number of instances in the recent past which include :-

Google Earth

We see more and more groups approaching Google to have certain information taken off Google Earth, and while some of this is justified, what exactly are they trying to hide from us?

Expenses

There is currently a major debate going on in the UK with regards to politician’s expenses and how they are allowed to spend tax payer’s money on second homes, travel, etc. While the public have been pushing for the release of the information for some time, the government have actually taken court action to block any publication. Again, what exactly have they got to hide?

Tax Returns

There have also been signs that many show business stars and top business people are receiving preferential treatment with regards to their tax returns. They seem to be more protected than the general public from the threat of people investigating their affairs.

These are just a small number of recent instances which have highlighted what appears to be a growing difference between the levels of protection the general public are afforded and those in more privileged situations. So while the internet has opened up a new and interesting arena for the publication of what should be general information, are we all playing on a level playing field or are the odds tilted in favour of politicians, large corporations and business people?

a

Are We All Subject To The Same Rules Regarding The Disclosure Of Information?

The internet is used in so many different ways to bring information to the attention of the masses, including:-

Government Records

Criminal Records

Child Protection Issues

Court Cases

Many countries throughout the world will list the details of all of their court cases as a matter of course, believing that all of the information – the reasons for the case and the decision – are very much in the public domain. Unfortunately, there have been situations where sensitive information such as bank account numbers, social security numbers and the like have actually been published on the internet as part of the overall package of say a divorce case or something similar.

When you consider that many of these non-criminal court cases in question will actually require the written consent of all parties, there is also a very good chance that personal signatures may well be issued as part of the settlement documentation. These are some of the very concerns about privacy which were dismissed out of hand back in the early days of the internet, but for many people they have come back to haunt them.

Too many people seem to be a little too trusting of the internet and the uses surfers will make of the information available. There are ways and means to complain to the authorities although as yet they have not been able to find a responsible balance between security and full disclosure. Until the situation is resolved we all need to be on alert for possible cases of fraud, because while we never think it will happen to us, there is every chance that it could!

a

Has The Internet Taken Away Your Privacy?