Useful Links

cute fuzzy bunny · 05-07-2005, 12:14 PM

This ones creating some controversy as it can easily (for a fee) link you with someone you lost, their criminal history, etc. A lot of articles concerned that the lvel of information could facilitate identity theft.

I've used a bunch of these before, but this one was the best I've seen so far...I had a couple of "what happened to..." people in mind and I found them with address and phone # in a few seconds.

www.zabasearch.com

Eagle43 · 05-07-2005, 01:10 PM

I used this just now. Very quick; even found me. It's scary to think that id thieves could use same as a baseline to get into your stuff.

I bookmarked it, however. Ya never know when you'll need it.

nearly50 · 05-07-2005, 07:26 PM

There are only 3 Ayn Rands but too many John Galts to list.

Also entries for Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Mickey Mouse, Spider Man, (no Mighty Thor though), George,Jane and Elroy Jetson, Fred and Wilma Flintstone and Barney and Betty Rubble.* Also found Vito and Michael Corleone, and Tony Soprano.

For you lawyers, there's a Dewey C. Howe and a Cheatem D. Andhow.

And finally, Prince Albert.

cute fuzzy bunny · 05-07-2005, 08:51 PM

Is he out of the can yet?

laurence · 05-07-2005, 08:53 PM

Dude, this site is too good, just looked up half a dozen people I haven't talked to in years/decade, some live in very interesting places, makes me want to drop them a line. Has a bunch of of addresses for me, maybe that will confuse identity thieves.

Cb · 05-08-2005, 12:05 AM

I found Bob Smith!

Cb

uncledrz · 05-08-2005, 04:06 AM

eagle 43

me too!

uncledrz

MRGALT2U · 05-08-2005, 04:40 AM

Pretty cool! I am listed about 25 times with a lot of former
addresses and phone numbers. Also some long lost relatives with the same first name. Told DW before she left for work that I was
going ti start looking for old girlfriends and make a list of their current addrsses and phone numbers. Oddly, she didn't think
that was funny

I feel like Steve Martin in THE JERK when he saw his name in the
phone book............"I am somebody!"

JG

Martha · 05-08-2005, 07:05 AM

Interesting. I have a very uncommon name. In fact I have never heard of any one else in the US with the same name. Still true according to this site. Found me but no one else with the same name. I guess it is the wonders of Ellis Island and creative misspellings.

REWahoo · 05-08-2005, 07:24 AM

This site is really amazing. I was able to locate my father, who died in 1997. I was tempted to call the phone number the site gave, but knew I would get no answer.

REW

05-08-2005, 07:56 AM

Quote:

It's scary to think that id thieves could use same as a baseline to get into your stuff.

This is why I stopped using my name for a user name for forums, etc.

cute fuzzy bunny · 05-08-2005, 09:16 AM

It found me at several addresses I havent lived in for about 15 years or more. Also my dads old addresses and my deceased grandparents.

Theres a lot of useful free information this links to that I found in the past after extensive meanderings...the social security death database is really useful for doing genealogical studies. I wanted to give Gabe a family tree of his ancestors when he gets older, but info on our families past grandparents is sketchy and limited to first names, nicknames and some vague ideas as to where they came from. I was able to pull up all the grandparents, their social security #'s, find their parents, siblings and so forth. Going prior to that I lost the trail again as info back in the 1800's and prior is very loose.

The really scary part about this site is one can find someone, order their criminal records and their credit reports. I sure as heck am glad I'm not dating anymore...

MRGALT2U · 05-08-2005, 09:22 AM

Hello th and all. The info on me was very accurate. In addition to
my current address, it had at least 5 or 6 older ones with
the telephone numbers. The only thing I haven't figured out is that
I was listed 3 times at my daughter's old address in Texas.
I never used that for anything and our last names are
different. I don't get that. By the way, this sort of thing doesn't
scare me much, I guess because I expect more and more such
"databases" available all over God's green pea patch.
Galloping 1984ism is here to stay. Orwell had it spot on!

JG

cute fuzzy bunny · 05-08-2005, 09:52 AM

Did you ever co-sign a loan or lease for her? Did she ever use you as a reference for a lease or loan? Thats probably where they got ya.

All the data doesnt bother me. That a lot of it is wrong, out of context, or mismatched does. Then its folded, spindled and mutilated together to form frankenstein-like composite 'pictures' of individuals and demographic groups. Then moronic management types use that data to make their usually spot-on decisions.

No wonder we have so many problems...

Right now, my tivo keeps tabs on the tv shows I watch...right down to which parts of which show I rewound and looked at a second or 3rd time. Even when I turned the tv on and off. Reports that back to the 'mother ship' every day or so. My grocery store tracks my purchases. Netflix keeps tabs on the movies I watch. My ISP tracks which web sites I go to. The library knows what books I borrowed. The credit card companies know where I spend my money and on what. All of this is sold to aggregators.

The systems are good too. I decided to buy everything with cash for a while. About a year later my old primary credit card company sent me a letter "Hello! We've noticed your use of your blah blah credit card has gone down and we want to know why! Did we do something wrong? Here's a bunch of coupons and from now on you'll earn 5% on gas, drug store and grocery purchases!". I imagine those are the 3 most mined shopping categories.

Who am I to turn down such generous offers...?

Nords · 05-09-2005, 11:58 AM

It not only nailed us, it also popped up addresses/phone numbers for old tenants of ours. Somehow our name is associated with their new residence.

cute fuzzy bunny · 05-09-2005, 12:01 PM

May have used you as a reference on a credit application or a lease application. Or the credit companies are trying to be a little too smart and linking the names of people who co-resided at the same address. Technically you owned the property but people with other names said they lived there. Maybe one of you is using an alias. Maybe you arent really you? Nords...whats the secret password and handshake for ER's? (suspicious glare)

laurence · 05-09-2005, 12:07 PM

I succumed to morbid curiosity and ordered the $20 background check on myself, I let you know what it holds.

Martha · 05-09-2005, 01:20 PM

When I became a bankruptcy trustee I had to have an FBI backround check. The FBI reported to the US trustees office that I had a "file" on me but wouldn't let them see it. I requested my file through the freedom of information act. I was really quite proud to have a file. War protests and lettuce boycotts. Names of all informants excised. Still am curious as to who was spying on all of us. We weren't worth it.