[ezdays]

They recently announce a massive data breach where there were over 2.9 billion listings of personal data. There is a website that you can check to see if you were breached and I'll guarantee you that you were. I saw my name a number of times at several addresses that I lived or worked at plus PO box addresses where I got mail. This included birth dates, phone numbers and SS numbers. From what I read, they tried to sell the info on the dark web for a million dollars, but had no takers so they released it free. Very scary. To check how many times you were listed, go to Pentester

BTW, you can look up anyone that you want as long as you have their birth year. My search showed over a dozen entries for myself and a bunch for others with similar names. This including the last two digits of my SSN, which were correct in every case as were phone numbers and addresses.

I'm sure there are many other breaches that have our personal info in, the Internet has made it very cushy for the criminals and I haven't a clue how to deal with it. Right now I have a letter from AT&T about a breach and I haven't dealt with them in decades, but they still had my personal info in their database.

[susanb]

They recently announce a massive data breach where there were over 2.9 billion listings of personal data. There is a website that you can check to see if you were breached and I'll guarantee you that you were. I saw my name a number of times at several addresses that I lived or worked at plus PO box addresses where I got mail. This included birth dates, phone numbers and SS numbers. From what I read, they tried to sell the info on the dark web for a million dollars, but had no takers so they released it free. Very scary. To check how many times you were listed, go to Pentester

BTW, you can look up anyone that you want as long as you have their birth year. My search showed over a dozen entries for myself and a bunch for others with similar names. This including the last two digits of my SSN, which were correct in every case as were phone numbers and addresses.

I'm sure there are many other breaches that have our personal info in, the Internet has made it very cushy for the criminals and I haven't a clue how to deal with it. Right now I have a letter from AT&T about a breach and I haven't dealt with them in decades, but they still had my personal info in their database.

---

wow scary.........I was notified of one from an employer 15 years ago
......I realize small potatoes but still ....most of our clients were
car accident and work related
injuries so I was much less alarmed that they probably were

[William St. Guthlac]

I was shocked to find that I did not show up. There is nothing to take anyway. I will fight for my cats, and the weaponry costs more than they ever did.

[ezdays]

I was shocked to find that I did not show up. There is nothing to take anyway. I will fight for my cats, and the weaponry costs more than they ever did.

The thing is that there are so many bad guys out there and so many irresponsible caretakers of our data that the Internet has become a playground for criminals. No longer do they have to get dressed and risk holding up banks with guns, when they can sit in front of their computers in their underwear and sip coffee while they rob innocent folks. I don't know how one qualifies to get on this list, but I'm sure there are many others on the Dark Web with the same or more information about everyone.

Why do we have to constantly be aware of what we do and who we talk to, some of these criminals would excel if they worked honest jobs, but it must be some thrill to know that you just took the life savings of some grandmother or broke the heart and bank account of someone who trusted you and thought you were in love with. And lastly, why can't those in charge shut these sites down and arrest a few people in the process?

[Stargazer186k]

They recently announce a massive data breach where there were over 2.9 billion listings of personal data. There is a website that you can check to see if you were breached and I'll guarantee you that you were. I saw my name a number of times at several addresses that I lived or worked at plus PO box addresses where I got mail. This included birth dates, phone numbers and SS numbers. From what I read, they tried to sell the info on the dark web for a million dollars, but had no takers so they released it free. Very scary. To check how many times you were listed, go to Pentester

BTW, you can look up anyone that you want as long as you have their birth year. My search showed over a dozen entries for myself and a bunch for others with similar names. This including the last two digits of my SSN, which were correct in every case as were phone numbers and addresses.

I'm sure there are many other breaches that have our personal info in, the Internet has made it very cushy for the criminals and I haven't a clue how to deal with it. Right now I have a letter from AT&T about a breach and I haven't dealt with them in decades, but they still had my personal info in their database.

I have gotten 3 notices from different companies in recent months that they were breached and my info got out.   Is there anyone who hasn't had their info taken? And I too have little doubt it has occurred other times and we just don't hear about it.  I believe I got the same notice from AT&T and supposedly call logs and texts were retrieved too? Isn't that great?

I would imagine there are some nervous AT&T customers out there.

[William St. Guthlac]

There are very sophisticated criminal enterpises making bank over the internet. Most are in East Asia or Eastern Europe, but they are all over.

I think the more broad and sophisticated efforts are state actors. Just looking at who has the means and motives. I trust no one. That has served me well for the past couple of decades.

[ezdays]

There are very sophisticated criminal enterpises making bank over the internet. Most are in East Asia or Eastern Europe, but they are all over.

I think the more broad and sophisticated efforts are state actors. Just looking at who has the means and motives. I trust no one. That has served me well for the past couple of decades.

I totally agree, "trust no one", and never give money or private information to anyone you don't know or haven't met regardless of who they say they are. I understand one of the latest schemes is to entice older folk to convert their cash to gold and then turn the gold over physically to someone for "protection". 

As far as my bank accounts go, I do not bank over the Internet, I like it when I go to my brick and mortar bank and the teller says, "good morning Mr. Day", then hands me the cash I want to withdraw rather than waiting in line for a robot to go, "whoosh, whoosh, bing, bing, plop!" Also, if someone were to get into my computer files they would find my bank account registers, but not the account numbers. I don't need to keep them there if I don't do virtual banking.

Two things seem to motivate people to do strange things, those are greed and fear.

[English Rose]

Sadly, the high street banks are being gradually closed here. Bye bye cash.

[ezdays]

Sadly, the high street banks are being gradually closed here.  Bye bye cash.

My local bank just had a total remodel and a name change so I'm hoping that they'll be around for a while. raying: I used an ATM once  in my life back in the 90's and as I remember, it had a limit on cash withdrawals less than what I wanted, that, plus now days I hear about all the scheming ways crooks have to read your info as you enter it so I'm happy to drive a few extra miles to stay safe. Plus, I don't know yet of any ATM that will carry on a conversation with you like a human teller does. With AI, it's coming I'm sure..

[susanb]

the other thing that irritates me is the tipping added to buy a $1 coffee

when it's just fast food and no service to speak of

thinking of using cash again

[DaveR]

The best thing, at least for your Credit, is to put a Freeze on ALL 3 Bureaus. It is completely free, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Then when you know someone needs to access your Credit file you can temporarily
UnFreeze it.

---

Its kinda funny… i posted First and then went to check if my Data was compromised, and its not!
And then saw their recommendation to Freeze your Credit… too funny!! ?

[ezdays]

the other thing that irritates me is the tipping added to buy a $1 coffee

when it's just fast food and no service to speak of

thinking of using cash again

Wow, where can you find coffee for a dollar? Around here, most restaurants are charging close to $4.00. Even Denny's is $3.69.

[ezdays]

The best thing, at least for your Credit, is to put a Freeze on ALL 3 Bureaus.  It is completely free, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. 

Then when you know someone needs to access your Credit file you can temporarily
UnFreeze it.

---

Its kinda funny… i posted First and then went to check if my Data was compromised, and its not!
And then saw their recommendation to Freeze your Credit… too funny!!  ?

Good advice, I just finished filling out my Experian monitor service application and was able to freeze my credit with them. Now I need to do likewise for the other two....

[susanb]

the other thing that irritates me is the tipping added to buy a $1 coffee

when it's just fast food and no service to speak of

thinking of using cash again

Wow, where can you find coffee for a dollar? Around here, most restaurants are charging close to $4.00. Even Denny's is $3.69.

Mc has a promotion currently......$3 plus tax for three javas

[ezdays]

Wow, where can you find coffee for a dollar? Around here, most restaurants are charging close to $4.00. Even Denny's is $3.69.

Mc has a promotion currently......$3 plus tax for three javas

Almost worth going up there for. :Thumbup: I go to one restaurant that has coffee for $2.00, but she's trying to win back business that she lost due to other bad decisions that drove a lot of regulars away.