Is this scary or what

[Letj]

You can find out where just about anybody in America lives just by going to zabasearch.com. I tried getting my name removed but was unsuccessful. When I searched today, every place I've ever lived including my current address shows up. Has anybody been successful in getting their name removed from this website?

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Letj You can find out where just about anybody in America lives just by going to zabasearch.com. I tried getting my name removed but was unsuccessful. When I searched today, every place I've ever lived including my current address shows up. Has anybody been successful in getting their name removed from this website?

Very interesting site! I've been at the same address for 30+ years, so that was the only one listed.

I noticed that the phone numbers of some folks with the same name were listed right there along with the address on the "free" page. Mine wasn't. But when I clicked on the seach button, they offered to sell me both my home and cell number.

Wouldn't it be nice if these guys died in a firey crash?

[Letj]

All my past phone numbers were listed more or less correctly with the exception of the current one because I have an unlisted number but this is a very easy way for a stalker to find out where someone lives. Scary indeed. Should there be some law against this?

[tightasadrum]

Wow! Who are these guys? (They missed my latest move last year and change of telephone number though.) Checked some friends that have lived all over the country. They were right on. Clearly nothing is private anymore.

[Letj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tightasadrum Wow! Who are these guys? (They missed my latest move last year and change of telephone number though.) Checked some friends that have lived all over the country. They were right on. Clearly nothing is private anymore.

Don't think they missed your latest move. It took them 2.5 years to catch up with me. If you moved within the last 2 to 3 years, chances are you have not hit their database yet.

[FIRE'd@51]

This is fairly similar to switchboard.com, which has been around for years.

[bpp3]

Wow, what sleazebags. Glad I'm out of their range. They don't seem to have much on me, and what they do have seems to be about 50% incorrect (from what I can tell without paying any money)-- i.e., a couple of cities I have lived in, plus a couple of addresses in a city in which I've never lived.

Dirtbags like this making money off of other people's personal information without their permission is another good reason NOT to maintain a shadow US address (via mail-forwarding or whatever) when one leaves the US. Leave 'em sucking vacuum.

[chinaco]

Privacy will be an increasing concern. More and more information will be available.

Legislation/Regulation is lagging what people and businesses are doing. Certain information should not even be made available for a price if you did not approve it. It should require your permission.

It is unfortunate. The problem is that most people are not aware of the current implications. And no one knows how this data can (and will) be misused in the future.

[FinallyRetired]

I'd be in favor of a law that prevented companies from publishing personal info on the internet unless the individual agreed. Similar to phone listings, where you can opt out of the phone book and go unlisted. Since the internet is so ubiquitous, I'd rather see an "opt in" law -- your info is private unless you opt to have it published on the internet.

[Sandy]

I have used these kind of sites to find old friends. It is like having access to a national phone directory.

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy I have used these kind of sites to find old friends. It is like having access to a national phone directory.

Gulp - about that $100 I owe you - the check is in the mail.

[Sandy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover Gulp - about that $100 I owe you - the check is in the mail.

Not looking for $$, just old friends. Really. With everyone moving around, addresses get lost. Not been accused of being a stalker yet

[Robert the Red]

Interestingly, my wife's name (which I believe is unique in the USA) is not found in the public search.

[bpp3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chinaco Legislation/Regulation is lagging what people and businesses are doing.

This kind of thing led to the passage of some relatively strict privacy laws in Japan. Merely accidentally releasing a list of names and addresses would get one in big trouble, not to even speak of selling such info for profit. Just unimaginable.

Get on the horn to your representatives and make them do something useful for a change.

[Eyerishgold]

All this info is already public. These folks are just making it easier to get a hold of.

That being said, it is a bit unnerving that people you might not want to see or hear from, for whatever reason, now have an easier way to find you.

[bpp3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eyerishgold All this info is already public. These folks are just making it easier to get a hold of.

No excuse.

[Sandy]

Ok, another scenerio - and this is real

In one of my earliest j*bs I interviewed children who had been sexually abused and often testified in court to get the abuser incarcerated. Today I got a call from the state attorney's office where I had lived. There is an offender, currently in jail, but soon to be released. He has been evaluated and they are putting together a case to prove he is a habitual violent sexual preditor. This will keep him locked up for life. (For this type of case he had to have been released, reoffended, and reincarcerated). They needed to find me as a potential witness.

They said I was easy to find, my name "popped up". But, I have an unusual name. The investigator says she spends most of her time trying to find old witnesses from 20+ years ago on these types of cases. For someone with a common name, this type of search engine can help make sure you have the same John Smith, who had lived in Anytown USA 20 years ago.

Anyway, a legitimate use that can expedite a valid public record search and need to find someone.

[CuppaJoe]

They have my name, full address, phone number, month and year of birth and an incorrect previous city from my credit report. When I go to get a free credit report I just go ahead and say, yes, I recognize that previous address.

Here's a question: if this info is so easy to get, why do I get so many calls for deadbeats with my last name?

[Martha]

One option is to change your name to John Smith. No one will ever find you.

[bosco]

I have a fairly common name (but not quite as common as John Smith). Despite having lived in Alaska for many years, I am not in it if you search my full name. But if you search as I was listed in the phone directory, there I am. So it appears to operate off public phone directories. Although it doesn't have my last two addresses, spanning my last 3 years in Alaska.