Big Brother is real and he is me

[jrandom]

Hmmmmm. Just got me a Motochek account.

My newfound powers have given me new respect for the concept of 'public record data' and are making me behave so much nicerer to other road users.

While I'm on the topic, I'd just like to say a big hello to Allen on 'HOG6' from the northwestern motorway this evening ('03 Fat Boy, 46Kw...) - dude, I have no idea what that gesture meant, at least I thought I did, but there were no cops around that *I* could see. But ta for moving out of the way. And what did you get that back wheel off, a Dodge Viper? Impressive.

The internet and people's data spread around on it is a slightly worrying thing. The fact that briefly passing a chap on the motorway tonight not only told me his name and where he lives, but (via Google and a morbid curiosity) turned up pictures of him posing in a G-string (really!) makes me stop and think a bit about how non-private this world really *is* becoming.

Any of you guys had similar experiences?

PS - if you ever read this, Allen, rest assured I have NO plans on putting the above data to nefarious use. Really. You were just a test case, sacrificed to make this post interesting.

[wkid_one]

Yes - years of working in the financial industry have opened my eyes to just how much information you can gleen off someone. With access to public information like Property Roll Check - I can tell you how much your house is worth and with the CT number - walk in to the Council and get the floor plan of the property. Motochek I can tell you all about your car - and with the PPSR Search I can tell you which financial company has an interest in it - and who else you have money borrowed from

Obviously the privacy act curtails some of this information being able to be gathered without the persons permission - however so much of it is fair game it isn't funny.

With the companies office I can tell you which companies you are a director of.

All from the luxury of my home pc.

[Jackrat]

LOL,Your just seeing the thin edge Random.
Go into Auckland city for a day an you will be photographed a dozen times and will be on video in most shops you enter.
As to who can access your personal info,their are about eight groups of people in NZ that have greater powers than the police as far as info gathering goes.Any thing I wanted to know about you that I couldn't get legally I could just pay for.Go to any real PI and you can get any thing on anybody.When I was doing my own training I used to freak people right out by supplying all their personal info for them the day after they had told me I couldn't.Missing persons was always my favourite thing.Unless they are activly hiding from the law,It takes about 10-15 miniites to locate most people.Thank you very much sir,and that will be $600 thanks.
LOL, money for jam

[Wenier]

thats kind of scary thinking how easy it is for anyone to find out most the information out there about me or anyone else for that fact. DAMN :(

[wkid_one]

Yup - just think about how many times you have gotten unsolicited mail?? 9 times out of ten - a form you have filled in at one place has been onsold to another for direct marketing. Do you check the privacy waivers of the forms that you do complete?

Your information is everywhere - Gas, Phone, Power, Cell, Internet, Banking, Credit Card, Finance, Police, Customs, Farmers Card.

Shit - with your cell phone switched on you can be pin pointed to a particular spot in NZ to within 10m apparently - should the need arise.

If you sent me an email - you are giving me shitloads more information as well....the only thing NZ has as an advantage at the moment is the lack of static IP addresses.

With a name alone an inkling of where they live - you can find out more stuff about someone than the care for you to know.

With the internet for work - I have access to BayCorp, Property Roll, PPSR Search, Companies Office, MotoCheck, Autocheck Plus, Valuation NZ, NZPost, etc. Many controlled by the Privacy Act.

However - like JR said....money talks. For $2 anyone can find the owner of a vehicle with the rego and a visit to the post shop for example. This will tell you where they live. Then you can go to the council and get a copy of the floor plans of the house. You can ring up the finance company and pay some money and find out who has finance on their car/bike the list goes on

[Hitcher]

Tell me more about that G-string...

[Motu]

Some wierd things are going out there alright - I was just dealing with a guy who had the ownership changed on his car and a loan taken out on the vehicle...he didn't know about it till he went to reregister his vehicle and found out he wasn't the owner anymore!

[wkid_one]

Yeah - as a finance company - we tend to not trust vehicle ownership certificates - would rather rely on depreciation schedules confirming you own the truck/grader/excavator etc......too many times the name on the rego doesn't match the 'owner' of the vehicle. Flaw in a failed system of change of vehicle ownership.

[jrandom]

Tell me more about that G-string...

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill myself.

:whistle:

[pete376403]

I could tell you, but I'd have to kill myself.

:whistle:

Does your employment contract have anything to say about distributing information obtained from these sources?
Its a two-edged sword in that the information you can see is also available to the auditors who can see what you have seen. Not suggesting you would, but recall what happened to the IRD employees who were selling inside info to the repo agents.

[Ms Piggy]

I guess I can be comforted by the fact that my life isn't interesting enough for anyone to want to track me! That's a bit sad really - sigh :disapint:

[jrandom]

Does your employment contract have anything to say about distributing information obtained from these sources?

Nope. My Motochek account has nothing to do with my job, I just got one in my own name because I wanted the convenient ability to run the checks when the mood took me. There's no requirement to be a corporation to access this stuff, you know.

[jrandom]

I guess I can be comforted by the fact that my life isn't interesting enough for anyone to want to track me!

Would it help if I stalked you a little, m'dear? ;)

[Ms Piggy]

Would it help if I stalked you a little, m'dear? ;)

No thanks - I do sadly already have 1 of those :argh:

[Kickaha]

I guess I can be comforted by the fact that my life isn't interesting enough for anyone to want to track me! That's a bit sad really - sigh :disapint:

That's not what I heard!

[Ms Piggy]

That's not what I heard!

You don't count you live too far away!! :bleh:

[KATWYN]

Yea, talk about being tracked within minutes etc. One Saturday I was at Motomail at Avondale and put my bike suit on credit card...then straight afterwards went and used the same credit card in Whangaparaoa - I then drove home (10 minutes away)

No sooner was I in the door and the phone was ringing...it was the bank....
checking up on the two transactions just made at the two locations..they knew where and how much!

Apparently when transactions are made within a certain period of time at two
totally different locations...they check up to make sure the card hasn't been
stolen...I thought their diligence was great....but sheesh bit of a worry ..really

[Skyryder]

Just wait until we all have a smart card. Just to give a small example. The new Metro card that Environment Canterbury now issue for public transport has an indavidul number. This numbered card can if lost be cancelled. OK so you have fifty dollars on it and you cancel the card: great that fifty dollars is transfered onto your new card. But get this. Because each card is indavidually numbered and leaves a record your movements on the public transport system can be monitored. The time you boarded the bus train or whatever is recorded with the route destination and this can be accessed for whatever reason. This will happen every time you use the card. Some smart card systems automaticlly monitor the stop that you get off at. Much the same type of tech. can be used with road tolls.
One of the ways database's are gathered is from that little freebee that you fill in with your name and adress that goes into the draw for the Harley, House' car or a paid holiday for two.

Skyryder

[James Deuce]

Just wait until we all have a smart card. Just to give a small example. The new Metro card that Environment Canterbury now issue for public transport has an indavidul number. This numbered card can if lost be cancelled. OK so you have fifty dollars on it and you cancel the card: great that fifty dollars is transfered onto your new card. But get this. Because each card is indavidually numbered and leaves a record your movements on the public transport system can be monitored. The time you boarded the bus train or whatever is recorded with the route destination and this can be accessed for whatever reason. This will happen every time you use the card. Some smart card systems automaticlly monitor the stop that you get off at. Much the same type of tech. can be used with road tolls.
One of the ways database's are gathered is from that little freebee that you fill in with your name and adress that goes into the draw for the Harley, House' car or a paid holiday for two.

Skyryder

The coolest thing about winning a Harley iiiiis: Selling it so you can buy lots of proper bikes. ;)

[Sycophant]

I've never been a big fan of the "big brother knows all" type conspiricies, but of course we certainly leave our big ugly electronic fingreprints all over the place wherever we go...

But if you actually care about it, you can take some steps to make yourself slightly harder to find.

That said, some of the things people freak out about most - privacy on the internet, and a personal favourite, cellphone tracking, are possibly blown out of proportion.

On the internet, yes, the police can get a search warrant to serve on an ISP, the ISP will have to turn over details of what customer was assigned a specified IP address at a specific time.

As for wkid one's comment about static IP addresses, there are a pretty finite number of them worldwide, and as things stand almost no dialup internet customer in the world gets a static IP anymore. Infact, many internet connections are masquraded, a big group of customers will all seem to be coming from a single IP address.

And the cellphone thing - yeah, it is possible to triangulate a cellphone location in some circumstances, but it's a lot harder than people make it out. If the phone isn't actually in use, it's only tranmitting occasionally and for a very short time. The network operator can figure which cells you are connected to, and work out roughly where you are, but beyond that it's up to someone on the ground to actually wander round with an antenna and look for you :)

As for the Metrocard in Chch, it's interesting, but I've always liked the idea of Foodtown cards, or better still Flybys. In theory they can build up complex profiles based on your shopping habits and then tailor advertising to your specific interests and habits. This is a step further than a Credit Card company, they only have the location and total. The rewards points programs potentially have access the details of what you actually purchased.

Of course, then there's the issue of the various software on your computer reporting back to it's makers about what you have installed, maybe even what files you have on your hard drive, or what sites you visit. While a lot of these applications are called 'spyware' and shunned by sensible computer users, other companies are getting away with similar practices they choose to call "activation" or sometimes "feedback agents" - it's the thin end of a nasty looking wedge.

And don't even get me started in Digital Rights Management.

I've finished now.

[SPman]

I must admit I used to worry about all this, but, now, I, personally, dont give a shit who finds out what about me. I really dont give a damn!
Is that some sort of modern survival instinct coming out?????

[White trash]

The coolest thing about winning a Harley iiiiis: Selling it so you can buy lots of proper bikes. ;)

Don't get me started again, Jim! :bleh:

[jrandom]

Don't get me started again, Jim! :bleh:

How much did that V-Rod cost again? :Pokey:

Wouldn't have been anywhere near what matching 'his' and 'hers' R1s would have set you back now, would it...

[Ms Piggy]

Just wait until we all have a smart card. Just to give a small example. The new Metro card that Environment Canterbury now issue for public transport has an indavidul number. This numbered card can if lost be cancelled. OK so you have fifty dollars on it and you cancel the card: great that fifty dollars is transfered onto your new card. But get this. Because each card is indavidually numbered and leaves a record your movements on the public transport system can be monitored. The time you boarded the bus train or whatever is recorded with the route destination and this can be accessed for whatever reason. This will happen every time you use the card. Some smart card systems automaticlly monitor the stop that you get off at. Much the same type of tech. can be used with road tolls.
One of the ways database's are gathered is from that little freebee that you fill in with your name and adress that goes into the draw for the Harley, House' car or a paid holiday for two.

Skyryder

This reminds me a little of George Orwell's 1984. :eek5:

[vifferman]

I must admit I used to worry about all this, but, now, I, personally, dont give a shit who finds out what about me. I really dont give a damn!
Is that some sort of modern survival instinct coming out?????

Yeah, I must admit I feel much the same way, EXCEPT I'm now on some feckin list somewhere, and I get phoned several times a week, always at dinner time, some lowly-paid drone calling to sell me carpet cleaning / insurance / finance / a new mortgage / some crap I don't need. :brick:

And of course it's no use doing my scone at whoever is on the other end of the phone, because they're just trying to make a few bucks. Apart from that feckin Indian guy who phoned me and wouldn't take "NO!!" for an answer, and kept arguing with me. Persistent Bastid!! :argh: Just piss off and let me eat my feckin dinner, willya?!?

Does anyone know how I can get removed from this list (coz presumably there is one - I'm being phoned too many times about the same crap for it to be some random piece of bad fortune).

[jrandom]

EXCEPT I'm now on some feckin list somewhere

They use the phone directory. Change your number and ask Telecom to make the new one unlisted. Also doesn't hurt to have them set all your outgoing calls to default to 'private caller' instead of sending your number in the caller ID field. It just takes 5 minutes on the phone to the 123 operators.

[Jackrat]

I must admit I used to worry about all this, but, now, I, personally, dont give a shit who finds out what about me. I really dont give a damn!
Is that some sort of modern survival instinct coming out?????

Yeah me too,After working as A PI in OZ for a couple of years i realised I can,t hide sod all anyway so why bother.
The SIS has so much on me it's not much point.
When I first started my training I was held up for entry to the course while NIRTC worked out weather I was really a communist party member or not.
That came from an enqiure I made about the NZ communist party in 1979.
Bloody NZ SIS was handing out Communist party info to union members in the work place and then recording any replys they got as being possible pinko's.
I found out that the NZ SIS now have me listed as a communist party member
and I can,t do a thing about it.
Our tax dollers at work. :laugh: :sweatdrop

[SPman]

The SIS has so much on me it's not much point.
..........................
Our tax dollers at work. :laugh: :sweatdrop
And they are such incompetent barstards - it would be funny if it couldnt become oh so serious! :ar15::kick:

[Ms Piggy]

They use the phone directory. Change your number and ask Telecom to make the new one unlisted. Also doesn't hurt to have them set all your outgoing calls to default to 'private caller' instead of sending your number in the caller ID field. It just takes 5 minutes on the phone to the 123 operators.

Not necessarily. :whistle: I used to be one of those "drones", I wasn't selling stuff but we did surveys on all sorts of stuff and a lot of the time phone numbers are computer generated (with out company anyway) ie. they take the first 3 numbers 383 and then mix up the last 4, so we used to occasionally call unlisted numbers - that was pretty terrible but most people were ok. I know it's a pain in the arse but I'm a poor student tryin' to earn some play money! :apint:

I must admit though I get calls from ones that get my name out of the phone book and they always ask for "Mrs XXX", I always reply; "No, there's no Mrs XXX but there's a Ms XXX" :Pokey: The assumption pisses me off!

[Jackrat]

And they are such incompetent barstards - it would be funny if it couldnt become oh so serious! :ar15::kick:

Incompetent don't really do it for me.
Plain sneaky dishonest pack of liars more like it.
I often wonder if that piece of false info' has effected me in other ways I don't know about.NIRTC did not have to tell me the reason,they could have just turned me down flat an I would of been none the wiser.
just as well my name wasn't Zowie I guess.

[jrandom]

computer generated

Forgot about that.

Still, I've been unlisted for the last five years and haven't had any telemarketers bothering me, which is quite a change from befo' that when I was in the book. In any case, if they did I'm afraid I'd just hang up while they were talking. It's funny, how we have such a compulsion to be polite. I got over it many years ago with a bit of effort and some (ahem) practice.



No, there's no Mrs XXX but there's a Ms XXX" :Pokey: The assumption pisses me off!

Well, if you're listed as, say, 'A B & C S Lily', and they hear a girly voice on the other end, the assumption is probably understandable. But yes, if it was me calling, I'd always go with the unpronounceable and bloody annoying 'Ms', just to be safe.

[Ms Piggy]

Forgot about that.

Still, I've been unlisted for the last five years and haven't had any telemarketers bothering me, which is quite a change from befo' that when I was in the book. In any case, if they did I'm afraid I'd just hang up while they were talking. It's funny, how we have such a compulsion to be polite. I got over it many years ago with a bit of effort and some (ahem) practice.




Well, if you're listed as, say, 'A B & C S Lily', and they hear a girly voice on the other end, the assumption is probably understandable. But yes, if it was me calling, I'd always go with the unpronounceable and bloody annoying 'Ms', just to be safe.


I used to HATE people that would just hang up in my ear :angry: but ok I guess at the end of the day it's an unwanted phone call but at least a "No Thanks!" or "Not interested" was better than a hang up.

Yes of course they assume I'm a Mrs b/c there's no way a woman would be on her own and have the phone in her name! Golly gosh, oh dear me! How tragic :shutup: Ok I'll shuddup now ;)

[jrandom]

I used to HATE people that would just hang up in my ear

Yes, I know. It's just that I'm way past the point where I'll leave everyone sitting there with the DVD paused or the dinner getting cold or the kids sneaking my bottle of beer or whatever while I sooth the feelings of someone I've never met. To be honest, though, if it's a nice-sounding girl on the other end I'm very unlikely to be anything but pleasant, chivalrous gentleman that I am... dammit...



Yes of course they assume I'm a Mrs b/c there's no way a woman would be on her own and have the phone in her name! Golly gosh, oh dear me! How tragic :shutup: Ok I'll shuddup now ;)

Oh, I see. You're listed as "C S Lily" and they assume that Mr C's your husband. Heh. Welcome to our patriarchal society. The kitchen's over there ---->

[Ms Piggy]

Oh, I see. You're listed as "C S Lily" and they assume that Mr C's your husband. Heh. Welcome to our patriarchal society. The kitchen's over there ---->

I can't get in the kitchen b/c Mr C's in there cooking me some eggs!! :ar15:

[jrandom]

I can't get in the kitchen b/c Mr C's in there cooking me some eggs!! :ar15:

Yup, that's about all I can manage in there, too :lol:

[Ms Piggy]

Yup, that's about all I can manage in there, too :lol:

Ahhh, yesssssss and hence the saying "A woman's work is never done." :innocent:

[Firefight]

On a slightly different note, how about those people who ring from your credit card co ?, so much fun can be had, ie.

Hello is that Mr ....? normally prononced wrong, so I answer "'no theres no one here by that name."' :shifty:

When they ring back and ask again, I will normally correct them and admit to being the person they ask for. :innocent:

Then they ask me for my date of birth, "'Why do you want that "'I ask ?
If they come up with a good anwser, I still don't give it to them, I just ask them for thier date of birth. :confused:

That blows them away, normally the next person you talk to is the supervisor.

And then its starts all over again. :Pokey:


I guess its just me, maybe I need to get out more ! :Punk:

Firefight :crazy:

[Motu]

My wife and I have different surnames and hers is the one listed in the book - so when they ask for Mr ****(her name) he's never home.On the other hand Mrs ****(my name) never seems to be home either.

[Hitcher]

My wife and I have different surnames and hers is the one listed in the book - so when they ask for Mr ****(her name) he's never home.On the other hand Mrs ****(my name) never seems to be home either.

Same go in the Hitcher household too! I also tell them my hourly rate and ask for an address so I can invoice them for my time...