Scary e-mail

[Stackie]

I just received an e-mail from what looked like a job offer. It seemed fishy so I googled it and it turned out to be a credit scammer. The scary thing is, they had my name, address, and phone number. They were asking me to take some psychological test and something else so they could get back with me.

Should I be worried, since they had all my information? I would assume they still need more if they are trying to contact me but...what can I do?

 

[emily]

Honestly, I would contact your local police department. These people can big time scam individuals, so Im sure they would be able to point you in the right direction. Maybe print off the email and drop it off at the detatchment. Just an idea though.

 

[Spoof]

Should I be worried, since they had all my information? I would assume they still need more if they are trying to contact me but...what can I do?

Ask that your info be removed from sites like Spokeo, etc. Theres 10 of them, one gives your geolocation, email and phone number for free. No kidding. It's amazing how much info is out there.

 

[Melissa]

When I look up my info it says I have one child and Im 37 years old. My address is correct of my condo 3 years ago. It also says I make $96K..

 

[Spoof]

lol, yea, but there are 15-20 sites like that, some more accurate than others.

 

[Dusty Foot Prints]

Most sites like Spokeo only list what is already public record- property appraiser's websites, court records, etc. Although Spokeo must not be very accurate since it had me listed as living in a million $ house. I wish! :thumbsup:
I don't think I'd be worried unless they knew something truly private- SS#, credit score, etc. It was probably just a phishing email.

 

[caiti]

Stuff like that freaks me out, too but I always assumed it would be too easy to get my info and pointless to try and stop everyone.

One time when I went on facebook the friend suggester-thing suggested my therapist!! I was like "how is that association made?!?! her files are confidential!!!". It was a bit spooky. I would guess that when maybe I googled her to look up her number or something, a record of that was kept and sent to other sites, like facebook. But it was at a time when I wouldn't have been looking her up and I have no idea how facebook knew that kind of thing...

I hadn't heard of Spokeo before. I looked myself up and it seems pretty accurate, though it says there are 7 people in my house and it's just my folks and I...but none of my friends are on this thing. Only my family!!! Why?!?!

 

[Raindog]

It has me with my real name which has my correct age and my nickname which has me in my 60s. And we live together!

 

[3CsMommy]

I think Spokeo etc. are scarier than that email! I'm off the grid so to speak here, but my home and college residences both show me, and some "interests" that are clearly my mother and father's rather than mine. I wonder how they get that information together. For them to say that someone in my parents' house likes coin collecting, Christian music, and owns pets, they have to be searching web search logs or cross-referencing library information or something.

Just for the heck of it I searched some screen names I use and holy cow, it popped up my picture. Turns out I have an album from several years ago I never use any more that isn't locked. So if you've got any Picasa, Photobucket, MySpace etc. sites w/ pics of you and your kids/families, this can find it and leave you open for this kind of email (or possibly worse). :hair:

 

[GorillaJTA]

I think Spokeo etc. are scarier than that email! I'm off the grid so to speak here, but my home and college residences both show me, and some "interests" that are clearly my mother and father's rather than mine. I wonder how they get that information together. For them to say that someone in my parents' house likes coin collecting, Christian music, and owns pets, they have to be searching web search logs or cross-referencing library information or something.

Just for the heck of it I searched some screen names I use and holy cow, it popped up my picture. Turns out I have an album from several years ago I never use any more that isn't locked. So if you've got any Picasa, Photobucket, MySpace etc. sites w/ pics of you and your kids/families, this can find it and leave you open for this kind of email (or possibly worse). :hair:

Yeah... nobody is off the grid.