General Chat

Beware of including your date of birth in your email address e.g. [email protected].
One contact I have, who has an unusual married name, would enable me to get her mother's maiden name and with her DoB and husband's details available online setting up a fake ID would be a piece of cake.

That was unlucky for those people! You never know what ears are listening though. I got cross at my bank a few years ago. It was when they did the hardselling at the counter to earn commission. There was a queue of people waiting behind me and the cashier serving me loudly announced, so that all and sundry could hear, that I had rather a lot of money in my account and would I like advice on investing it! She was very redfaced by the time I told her what I thought.

That's a good point Annx. I know of a family who went abroad for 2 weeks years ago and the only person they told was the milkman! They were burgled and lost lots of jewellery etc. Upon further investigation, they interviewed the milkman and apparently he was overheard in a pub telling someone where they were going away without realising they were overheard!!
So maybe keeping the papers being delivered is actually a safeguard.

Hubby won't phone to cancel our newspapers when away. He says anyone in the shop can hear them repeat when you will be away and repeat your address back to you.

Good advice maggie.
Linda as long as they don't add personal info of yours you should be ok.

it's also a good idea to put a tick/cross in the 'don't publish my address' in the appropriate bit on your electoral form.
Then your address can't be traced using 192.com.
My address is untraceable using this, since 2008.

I don’t like What’s app, but two groups I belong to use it for group chats, so I need to use it

Pat, yes I saw that.

WhatsApp isn't safe - the UK military have been told not to use it as it's feared the Russians will try to hack it.

I was going to mention this site as well as facebook. I do try to be vague when away and where I am etc but it is easy to forget. My house is well looked after by neighbours but they can't be watching all the time. However the warning is more about finance and I have always been wary about putting that sort of personal info on line. WhatsApp is supposed to be safe but it isn't as I saw recently that it was hacked somewhere.

A timely warning Ann.

I'm not on Facebook, but know how easy it is to read information online about where people live, how they are on their way for a 2 week holiday etc.

It is all too easy to disclose information to friends and forget that posting can often be read by anyone.

...... I've even been surprised in the past, by how much personal information is posted on this site.

More and more these days we do all need to be alert where our money is concerned. The following from a local police alert message.

"Information about you that’s easily viewed
on your work and private websites (including
social media accounts) can be used by
criminals to make their phishing emails appear
more convincing.
Review your privacy settings, and think
about what you post across your social and
professional accounts.
Be aware what your friends, family and
colleagues say about you online, as this can
also reveal information that can be used to
target you.
If you spot a suspicious email, forward it to
[email protected], or use the Report
Phishing button in Outlook if you have it
installed, and then flag it as spam/junk in your
email inbox."