Poll: Who Do You Trust Most With Your Online Identity/Data?

[Alan]

Don't you guys get an email every time an order is placed against your Amazon account?

No, and that is the problem!! I get an email everytime MY amazon account charges against my credit card, but when a new account with a different name and email address was created using my stolen credit card details then I got no email about the new account and of course new charge emails made by the bogus account will have gone to the bogus email. I only spotted the fraud when I noticed charges from Amazon on my credit card that I did not recognize.

Amazon did not protect my CC details, allowing someone with a different first and last name to set up an account against my credit card, which they have on record.

 

[explanade]

Oh I misunderstood. I thought your Amazon account got hacked and was being used to order things against it.

 

[ERD50]

All of them engage in data mining, that's what I was getting at. ....

Oh, that's not how I interpreted the poll.

I took 'Trust With Your Online Identity/Data' to mean - 'do I trust them to keep it secure from hackers?'. No I don't.

As far as data mining, I have not seen any reason to have any significant concerns (though I avoid Facebook and Microsoft for various reasons, so can't comment on them). I don't believe I've ever received an email that was a result of any 'data mining' from any of these places. I'm obviously discounting straight out illegal SPAM - that's a different animal. I do use a different front-end for google searches mostly (only because I liked the interface better), so I don't see any Google ads, but it doesn't bother me if I do, and they might even help me find what I'm looking for. I don't care if a 'bot at Google tracks my searches to attempt to display relevant ads, I don't know why anyone would care.

That kind of targeted marketing has gone on for many decades - you get junk mail based on your zip or other data. So I toss it, I don't see anything to get worked up about, this is just the modern digital equivalent.

-ERD50

 

[kcowan]

I only have credit cards stored with Amazon, not because of choice but necessity, convenience...

Yes I have my amazon Chase card stored there (with some growing concern from what I heard here.)

 

[MichaelB]

Amazon did not protect my CC details, allowing someone with a different first and last name to set up an account against my credit card, which they have on record.

I agree with your post but wonder how much of this is Chase vs Amazon.

 

[Totoro]

I could only rank Facebook at the bottom because their business is predicated on declaring privacy dead.

The main page in Dutch literally says: "Met Facebook ben je verbonden en deel je alles met iedereen in je leven."

Which means: "With Facebook you are connected and share everything with everyone in your life". Well, I don't want to do that.

Worst part is, there is almost no opt-out. Facebook has shadow profiles (you haven't signed up, but they know you exist), so I am in their system whether I want to or not.

If I had to choose one to trust, I'd go for Apple. Too many dollars come directly from the customer and from building great products in a closed eco-system, so they have a reason and better capabilities than most. I don't buy from them for other reasons though.

 

[Alan]

I agree with your post but wonder how much of this is Chase vs Amazon.

Not sure I understand, does Amazon use Chase for its management of users' credit cards?

My credit card in question at the time was from Penfed and after contacting them to dispute the charges they told me I had to first contact Amazon and get them to confirm the charges were fraudulent. Even if my card was not already registered with Amazon why do they allow a person to create a new account using a credit card that is not in their name without an attempt to verify that the card holder has authorized its use? The Amazon fraud guy I talked to said this was normal practice.

 

[REWahoo]

Alan, Chase has an Amazon Rewards Visa Card: https://www.chase.com/credit-cards/amazon/amazon-home

 

[Alan]

Alan, Chase has an Amazon Rewards Visa Card: https://www.chase.com/credit-cards/amazon/amazon-home

Yes, and we have one these days. I still don't understand why Amazon having a Chase card means they allow folks to create an account with a different credit card in someone else's name without checking with the owner of the credit card. I'm obviously feeling stupid here as I don't understand the relevance, but don't worry about it, I'll get back to my vacation.

 

[REWahoo]

I'm obviously feeling stupid here as I don't understand the relevance, but don't worry about it, I'll get back to my vacation.

Hey, if you've got pants, you're good to go!

 

[Alan]

Hey, if you've got pants, you're good to go!

I've needed them today. It is currently 39 and raining, low of 32 forecast, but back to sunny and dry tomorrow

 

[clifp]

I think Google has the smartest software engineers and that's why I voted for them.