Phone # Search Warning

**DuneAHH** · 05-11-2007, 09:19 AM

Google has implemented a new feature which enables you to type a telephone number into the search bar and hit enter, and you will be given the person's name and address. If you then hit MapQuest, you will get a map to the person's house. Everyone should be aware of this! It's a nationwide reverse telephone book.

If a child gives out his/her phone number, someone can now look it up to find out where he/she lives. The safety issues are obvious and alarming.

Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked. I tried my number and it came up along with the map and directions straight to our house. I did fill out the removal form for myself, and encourage all of you to do the same.

In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to Google at www.google.com, type your phone number in the search bar (e.g. 555-555-1212) and press enter. If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private information, simply click on your telephone number and then click on the Removal Form. Removal takes 48-hours.

Please share this information with friends and family.

**Beach Runner** · 05-11-2007, 09:28 AM

These search tools have been around for years. Some can even reverse search cell numbers. What ticks me off is that some of these sites give my age!

At least they don't give my weight.

**kathydwells** · 05-11-2007, 09:46 AM

Just a note. If you phone number is an unpublished number, it will not show up in these searches. Which is exactly why my phone number is unpublished.

**Smiling JOe** · 05-11-2007, 09:50 AM

As BR said, this search feature has been around for a long time. Not available currently, but in the past, you could type a street address on yahoo maps, and pull up the persons name who lived there. If you left off the number, and entered just the street, it listed every house number on the street.

Google has just taken it to the next level incorporating it into the maps. Look for google map technology on all auto gps in the future, and you if you want to find all of the McDonald's on your 10 hour trip, it will highlight them with driving directions for you. Google maps will be the biggest advertising giant in the near future.

**DuneAHH** · 05-11-2007, 09:56 AM

BR,
I knew about some of the search tools (although I didn't know about the cell phone search you mention). I hadn't been aware of this particular "too easy" Google search; and the option to remove yourself from the list.

**DuneAHH** · 05-11-2007, 10:09 AM

I certainly see the benefits to businesses (Love knowing where all the McDonald's are!) but with all the kooks and online predators out there it's also scary that it's so easy to be located.

**Smiling JOe** · 05-11-2007, 10:17 AM

Terraserver has also been around for years, and the public once had free access to satellite images allowing you to zoom in close enough to recognize whose cars where in your driveway. Google is just making it easier with a one click. Anywho.com is a good source for reverse phone directory. They used to have the reverse address directory too, but I think they pulled it. I've seen phone books with reverse address directory in the back half of the book. They are just cataloging information that is already available to the public.

**Beach Runner** · 05-11-2007, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Dune-AHH

...the option to remove yourself from the list.

You're right. I don't know how to remove my number from theultimates.com, for example.

**audie** · 05-12-2007, 07:10 AM

i find all this to be kinda scary - big brother really is watching, apparently..

**Biff** · 05-14-2007, 01:14 PM

http://zabbasearch.com/ is the one you should be worried about...

**kathydwells** · 05-14-2007, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Biff

http://zabbasearch.com/ is the one you should be worried about...

Well that sucks, it lists my home number and address, and my freaking birthday. Guess it doesn't matter that my number is unliste/unpublished.

**Beach Runner** · 05-14-2007, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by Biff

http://zabbasearch.com/ is the one you should be worried about...

Yeah, it takes you to Intelius, the same place that theultimates.com takes you when you're looking for a cell number, etc. For $9.95 a year, they say that you can get cell numbers, unlisted numbers, etc. Haven't tried it.

**scooterbug44** · 05-14-2007, 01:37 PM

Well I am now completely freaked out! What is the point of protecting myself w/ unlisted phone numbers and email addresses that don't contain my name if anyone who's seen my credit card slip can find me and my house!

Any hints for how to get off the Zabba site?

**Biff** · 05-15-2007, 09:22 AM

Scoot Bug ,. ,.THIS will explain the legality of Zabba; I know of some who have had luck in the past emailing the webmaster and requesting deletion; or by updating the info erroneously; REMEMBER people; every time you apply for credit; MAKE SURE you check or demand NOT TO SELL YOUR INFO!!!!

Originally Posted by scooterbug44

Well I am now completely freaked out! What is the point of protecting myself w/ unlisted phone numbers and email addresses that don't contain my name if anyone who's seen my credit card slip can find me and my house!

Any hints for how to get off the Zabba site?

**scooterbug44** · 05-15-2007, 09:37 AM

Thanks for the link/explanation!

I find the fact that sites like this or the example they gave in which someone posted the names, addresses, spouses names etc. of local police officers are protected by 1st amendment laws to be insane!

It is just asking for trouble! I can think of so many scenarios where having this information available is dangerous!

**Smiling JOe** · 05-15-2007, 09:38 AM

With zabba.com, I think they pull there info directly from the phone records. They have a trail of my former addresses, but also have mixed in with those, incorrect addresses of places where I haven't lived and phone numbers I never had. Seeing that you have to pay for useful info, I doubt many people will ever use their services.

**Smiling JOe** · 05-15-2007, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by scooterbug44

Thanks for the link/explanation!

I find the fact that sites like this or the example they gave in which someone posted the names, addresses, spouses names etc. of local police officers are protected by 1st amendment laws to be insane!

It is just asking for trouble! I can think of so many scenarios where having this information available is dangerous!

I don't understand what the great concern is regarding these sites alone. Give me your name and location and I can pull up much more info about you from gov't websites than you can find on these reverse directory sites. If you want to complain about them, be sure to complain about the gov't sites, too. With a few clicks, I can go to the Clerk of Courts records (free) and find out the amount of your loans for real estate purchases, your lender's name, all properties owned by you, etc. With another click, I can find out any LLC to which you belong. Etc. Sometimes, the documents in the Clerk of Courts around the country, don't even mark through the Social Security numbers. The list goes on and on, and spells Trouble (with a captial T) for anyone who happens to use the information for criminal purposes. It is easy to pay a few bucks and pull up a criminal record for anyone. You might be surprised at what you find. After once hiring a guy as a janitor, and having a "scuffle" (to put it politely) after having to fire the guy for drinking on the job and not showing up to work, the cops ran a quick report on him when we filed charges for assalt and battery. They said they knew him and his brothers from past experiences. His criminal report was about 6 typed pages. The wierd thing is that the guy had always seemed very nice and easy to get along with. From that day forward, as standard hiring practice, we spent the $20 per person and ran a background check on everyone who we intended to hire. There is a lot of information out there.

If you are interested, I recently heard that Google has an automated feature that allows you to receive an email anytime a particular subject of your choice (like your full name) comes up on the internet. You can type in your name, and anytime it comes up new on the internet, you will be notified and given the link. This might be very useful in keeping tabs on what other people might be saying about you, or for discovering when new sites add you to their directory. I haven't used the feature and don't recall the place to find it on google.com.

Edit: I just found it on Google.com. Once on Google.com, click on "more." Then click on "even more." The first feature under the search, is "Alert." That is where you type in your search criteria. If you want to be precise and have it search for matches which include only your full name, use quotes around your name, like

"joe smith"

**scooterbug44** · 05-15-2007, 10:02 AM

Well, my info is all correct and FAR too complete for my liking (except for the fact that they don't know how old I am).

Good point about the clerk of courts, property appraisers site etc. I had forgotten about that even though I've been using them to research properties!

Ignorance was bliss! Thought I was a little more off the grid than that ;)

Thanks for the google tip!

**Smiling JOe** · 05-15-2007, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by scooterbug44

Ignorance was bliss! Thought I was a little more off the grid than that ;)

Ignorance can be bliss, until you no longer have credit because of identity thieves. Unless you make all purchases with cash, a savy person with the right contacts can tell what you regularly eat, where you eat it, your income, your spending habits, what books you read and buy, music you listen to, etc. Amazon.com has bet their business model on knowing these things. You know they were trying to get into the grocery business too, right?

**Beach Runner** · 05-15-2007, 11:39 AM

Smiling JOe is right. There is so much information that is a matter of public record on the Internet that people can snoop on you and your financial, etc., matters at will. This info was always available in the old days, but you had to go to the trouble of driving to the court house and searching through a bunch of heavy books to find it. Now you can just surf the 'Net and easily find the info while watching your favorite TV show.

One thing we saw recently on qpublic was kind of humorous. We are looking for a residential building lot and were clicking on parcel info in one particular neighborhood. One record gave the person's name and said "Single Woman" next to her name; another had "Married Man" next to his name.

**Smiling JOe** · 05-15-2007, 11:51 AM

BR, "SW," "H&W," etc are seen on most deeds. I believe the importance lies in who owns what and who has to sign for the sale. If you were married, and going through a divorce, you wouldn't want your husband to be able to sell the house without your approval, would you? About a year ago, I read about a lady who found her husband cheating on her, and she sold his Lotus for $300 cash to get even before filing for divorce. People can be cruel.

**Beach Runner** · 05-15-2007, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by Smiling JOe

BR, "SW," "H&W," etc are seen on most deeds. I believe the importance lies in who owns what and who has to sign for the sale. If you were married, and going through a divorce, you wouldn't want your husband to be able to sell the house without your approval, would you? About a year ago, I read about a lady who found her husband cheating on her, and she sold his Lotus for $300 cash to get even before filing for divorce. People can be cruel.

Really. I have looked on qpublic many times and never noticed this (shows how observant I am). But what you're saying makes sense.