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.

[pete376403]

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

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

[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!