Privacy invasion! BEWARE!!

YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, but this isn't the latest internet joke or upcoming summer sci-fi thriller...this is yet another example of someone trying to make a buck off of public records. This is getting absolutely ridiculous and out of hand. First Google with their reverse number directory (type in your phone number using Google and your name and physical address come up...most of the time).

Now we have the cretins at Zabasearch.com. They list names, Birthdates, addresses, phone numbers and any Google photo hits on you for free. Buy a background check including credit report for $30.

Go to the site and look yourself and your friends up. And get ready to be pissed off (sorry for the language, but I'm really trying to keep my cool). just imagine what some looney could do with your info...(I have had one stalker in the past so this is freaking me out more!) especially if you say you're going to be out of town or are sick like some people post to groups.
They could steal your ssn!!

To get removed, send an email to [email protected] and tell them to remove your info. You have to give them the full name, birthday, address etc. (check out their terms of use on their site for details) and you have to check every so often to make sure you haven't been listed again.

There is another site that does birthdays that really gets my goat, too. I need to find it again and fill you in on that if you want to get removed from the "bathroom wall" as I like to call these bottom feeding services.

I know this sounds instinctively bad but could not a person also get a phone number and address of of a person from a phone book? Even Yellow pages have an online address book (http://www.switchboard.com/) that not only provides one's address but also the map.

Besides, that $30 per search is really expensive compared to some other services. There is this research site that allows one to obtain thing such as credit report, car licence, mortgages, etc if you so desire. In fact until recently, a subscriber could obtain social security numbers but after complaints, it has restricted access to social security numbers to about 15% of their subscribers.

Finally, as a word of caution beware when removing information not to give them more information about oneself.

Pamela, thank you so much for making us aware of this! This makes me SO ANGRY! Imagine if you were a domestic violence victim who was fleeing an abuser and all they had to do was go online and do a little searching....no one is safe anymore!
Fortunately, they are not all that smart. The only address they have on me was my address from sophmore year in college....6 years ago

You're right- yellow pages have addresses, phone numbers, etc. I guess what is freaking me the most is the fact that background checks can be done for $30 and there are some sickos out there who would do that! Also with yellow pages, we have some control- we can ask to be unlisted. I had no clue about this website so I think that really scares me - who knows what kind of information is out there floating around without our knowledge? Just wanted to share this with u and all the others just in case.

Finally, as a word of caution beware when removing information not to give them more information about oneself.

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I agree- I found that fishy and am trying to find a way to contact them and demand they remove my info without giving them further info about myself.

Originally Posted by ugaimes

Pamela, thank you so much for making us aware of this! This makes me SO ANGRY!

Imagine if you were a domestic violence victim who was fleeing an abuser and all they had to do was go online and do a little searching....no one is safe anymore!

Fortunately, they are not all that smart. The only address they have on me was my address from sophmore year in college....6 years ago

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I agree- I had a stalker a couple years ago and still don't know who it was so I had to move and after that, have taken care to have myself unlisted, etc and now I find FOUR listings for myself on that website- one with my CURRENT address!

Background check goes both ways. Not to say I support you snooping around and spying on your neighbor. But hey if you have a convicted murderer or sex offender neraby...

If you freak out over that website, then please do not freak out over the following website, which is I have to say a proper and professional site even if they have tons of personal information that can be obtained in the public. One example would be: (http://www.lexisnexis.com/collectionssolutions/) which even allows you to track down a person's neighbor and room-mate.

At least that one is limited to people in the US! But I am sure thare are other sites out there for hte rest of hte world. It is scary.

Originally Posted by jennyranson

At least that one is limited to people in the US! But I am sure thare are other sites out there for hte rest of hte world. It is scary.

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You mean like this site that contains all passport information?
http://www.scrolllock.nl/passport/

I went to Zabasearch and typed in my name. They didn't have it, not spelled right anyway. I found 2 of 5 of my Dad's ex wives! The others probably have a different last name.

Their primary resource must be the phone book. My name is spelled incorrectly in "the book." It is also listed incorrectly (same spelling as the book) on Zabasearch.

That passport one is quite funny - the name of the site made me suspicious in the beginning! But it is only parodying sites that exist!

Originally Posted by bumpy

You mean like this site that contains all passport information?

http://www.scrolllock.nl/passport/

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U should've seen my face when I went into that link!! I was on a roll ready to kill someone then when I pulled up my passport... Here's my face expressions in order as I saw my passport!

Here's an article about this..

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...3.html?sub=new

Wow - that passport site!!! I pulled up a friend's passport, since I don't have one. EVERYTHING is there - photo and all!

Originally Posted by Rockcat

Wow - that passport site!!! I pulled up a friend's passport, since I don't have one. EVERYTHING is there - photo and all!

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Are you serious? not the pic of the monkey???

Originally Posted by Pamela

Are you serious? not the pic of the monkey???

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What do you mean, picture of the monkey? How well do you know my friend?

I did the search and was extremely suprised when my and my husbands name came up. The way it is written (with middle initial) leads me to beleive the information came from the buying of our house last year. Phone number isn't there though - it is unlisted from the phone company.

That's messed up right there!

No, they aren't just going from the phone book records. Our newest address and phone number is unlisted, but they do have my current address on there. I don't even show up in Google searches for my name and phone number. Well, I show up, but not in any way that you could track me (i.e. I show up as the author of articles I've written, and in conjunction with the Rifle Team).

Pamela, when you find out more about how to remove yourself from that, please do let us know. They have to be getting the info from credit reports or something, which makes me even more mad if they have access to those!

Originally Posted by Rockcat

What do you mean, picture of the monkey? How well do you know my friend?

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You got me!!! You suckered me real good! I thought you meant you pulled up a friend's pic ( HUMAN pic) so that's why I was asking!