Internet's first get-out-of-debt community - 134,000 members

Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 1:34 pm Subject: Reverse Phone Book Warning

An article came accross on my email today that was printed in a trade publication which I find more than a little disturbing. Google has launched a reverse phone book where you type in a phone number and it gives you the persons name and address. If you click mapquest it takes you right to where the person lives. Imagine if your child gave out or lost something with his or her phone number and the wrong person got it. Or say you returned a phone call and hung up when the wrong person answered like a collection agency. They know who called and exactly where you live. Use your imagination and it is just plain scary. To me it is an invasion of privacy. You can be blocked but you have to go do it and it takes 48 hours. I can see how it might help find the person making harassing phone calls but he would probably be blocked anyway. Just a fair warning!

Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 2:00 pm Subject:

Thanks frogpatch for the alert. The threads recently started by you are quite a food for thought.

Are you talking about google phone book? It's available since a long time. You need to enter your name and phone number for others to see your details.

And if anyone wants to have their name and phone number removed, click the following link.

http://www.google.com/help/pbremoval.html

Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 2:11 pm Subject:

No, it was just launched! You just go to google, type in your phone number and poof! There is your name and address and a link that says map. Click the link and there is a map witha little star where you live. Click arial view and there is a close up picture of the type of neighborhood with all the topigraphical features.
I am happy that you like the threads. At the end of the work day I usually have some food for thought or some observational humor. As a frustrated writer I like to put it down in words for others. Thanks

Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 4:03 pm Subject:

You're right. That's all the more reason to have an unlisted/unpublished number.

Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 5:21 pm Subject:

Does it work with cell numbers??

Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:54 pm Subject:

No it does not work with cell numbers. At least mine didn't show up. Also I DID have an unlisted number and mine still showed up when I googled it a couple years ago. Thats why I got rid of my land line. Only cell here, it's much cheaper lol.

Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:13 pm Subject: yes

This is why I long ago got rid of the "home phone". It was an unlisted number; however, it was still accessible. Home phone is gone and only a cell phone exists now. It can not trace cell phones. And unlisted numbers, sometimes it'll say "unpublished", but if you push further, you can still find information. Hell, I've found out all kinds of stuff using the reverse phone number deal! I've done it forever! But when I realized that even an unlisted number is vulnerable, my home phone was gone. Don't need one anyway. Your safe with a cell phone. The whole issue of privacy anymore is getting disturbing. I don't want people knowing where I live, work, etc. Unless I tell them! So knowing that people can just "search" and find you, I find it totally creepy.

Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:16 pm Subject: LOOK!

OH, LOOK!!! That was the first post that the HOF status showed up under! Oh, I am tripping out here! Am I special or what??? First a cute doggie picture and now the honor of HOF underneath! Man! I was tired just a second ago and now that I saw that, I'm wide awake! How totally cool is this?????? Very Happy

Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:55 am Subject:

Whitepages.com has the same feature - they've had it for a while. I use it at work when I can't make out an address on a sales lead, or it's incorrect.

Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 2:03 pm Subject:

Not to change the subject......cannr I love your doggie picture!!!! Do you have dachshunds? I have three!

Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:38 pm Subject: sass

NO WAY! sass, you got three dachshunds? I've got two! Mike has one, he told me. I put their pictures on the community page. How cool are we??? Actually, I could have 100 dachshunds and not blink an eye!

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:13 am Subject:

I have used Google's phone number look-up for years. It's actually how I find many of the companies for numbers posted at this very site. The feature of a click and show of the address is really Google just saving a person a few extra steps. If you have your phone number listed, you will have your address given out. Doesn't take a brain surgeon to punch that address in Google maps or Mapquest to see the location.

So yeah - spend the extra couple bucks to have your number private and unlisted. And you are correct - cell phones do NOT show up in this system. There is no national cell phone database. They have tried for a few years, but it keeps getting knocked down. But mark my word - it will come, and you will need to pay to get out of it. You think any company is not going to find a way to sell your information??? You are just dollar signs to them. What do they care if your life is hell or your identity is stolen?

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:16 am Subject:

I unfortunately have to keep a land line down here in hurricane land. If the towers get knocked out I can still call for help if I need it. Unless of course everything gets knocked out. But it is good to have two options.

*Name:
*Email:
*Phone:
*Zip:
*Debt

	* denotes required field

Internet's first get-out-of-debt community - 134,000 members

Reverse Phone Book Warning

Members Area

Free Debt Counseling

Ask the community

Featured Discussions

Featured Articles

Question of the Month

Also See

Recent Forum Discussions

Recent Blog Post