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Old 05-24-2021, 05:11 AM   #1
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Think about security when you post!

Trawler Forum is a great place for sharing, as most of the information posted here is available to the entire online world. Truly a wonderful resource! But, give careful consideration to sharing your real full name -- either as a User Name or in your signature. Give even more careful thought to mentioning your physical address or phone number or anything else that can aid in the identification of your physical home address.

Many, I'm sure, understand why this caution should be taken, but for those that may not have thought about it, let me elaborate...

You go on a nice cruise doing the Loop. You post pictures of amazing and beautiful things you see and update threads mentioning ports you've visited. The world, including any would-be thief networks, can read these posts and quickly determine your home may be empty for an extended period of time.

Perhaps you're already on top of this and feel you have done a decent job protecting your identity. Have you thought about the photographs you upload? Most digital cameras today record "meta data" with each .jpg file. This meta data includes date, time and more and more often, the exact coordinates of where the photo was taken. Normally, this should not be of any concern...but do keep this in mind when you upload pictures to any social media. If you want to upload a "clean" picture, without latitude/longitude coordinates, one way to do it is to take a screenshot of the .jpg file with something like Windows Paint, for example, and save the screenshot as a .jpg file on your computer and then upload it. The quality will still be good enough for TF uploads to look decent.
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Old 05-24-2021, 06:20 AM   #2
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When I want to communicate directly with a TF member and continue the conversation by email, have a phone conversation or send him an attachment that is either too long for TF or not of wide interest, I always send him a PM with my name and other info like email or phone number, never in a TF message to the membership as you warn.

That is good practice for all. I assume PMs are secure?

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Old 05-24-2021, 10:01 AM   #3
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Scott; Good post my friend I think you’re on the right track. In this social networks’ day of guilty until proven innocent there is no such thing as «nothing to hide». Cardinal Richelieu said it in French: «Give me four lines written by a man, and I’ll give you something to hang him».


«Nothing to hide» argument indicates a misunderstanding of what privacy was meant to be. If you have nothing to hide, would you mind an IRS audit every year?


I am much worried about identity theft too.
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Old 05-24-2021, 10:29 AM   #4
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This is silly

I less than an hour a person could target most forum users posts, photos, and learn everything available in the public domain.

This is even easier if you are active on several social media platforms. Maybe you share your boating stuff here, other stuff on FB, Linkdin, etc... Putting it all together is not as hard as a person thinks.

When you post, you share little thinbgs about yourself. Photos of your boat, lots of small details that a relativly savy person could use.

Combine those tidbits and it's not hard.

Your security is not from having someone find out who you are, it's from protecting yourself in other ways.

Things like credit monitoring services, password diversity, home and business security, etc...

Fortunately property crimes are almost always crimes of opportunity and are committed by druggies, so your risk of that kind of crime emanating from here are very slim.

That said identity theft is VERY real, and is something that is entirely online.
That is where your credit monitoring service comes into play.

I have been a victim of identity theft and the source was not from a forum, it was from a data leak at a previous employer.
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Old 05-24-2021, 10:42 AM   #5
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Never underestimate the far-sighted power of silliness and absurdity.
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Old 05-24-2021, 10:47 AM   #6
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Defender sent an email that our data may have been compromised. OH JOY!!
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Old 05-24-2021, 11:56 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottC View Post
Trawler Forum is a great place for sharing, as most of the information posted here is available to the entire online world. Truly a wonderful resource! But, give careful consideration to sharing your real full name -- either as a User Name or in your signature. Give even more careful thought to mentioning your physical address or phone number or anything else that can aid in the identification of your physical home address.

Many, I'm sure, understand why this caution should be taken, but for those that may not have thought about it, let me elaborate...

You go on a nice cruise doing the Loop. You post pictures of amazing and beautiful things you see and update threads mentioning ports you've visited. The world, including any would-be thief networks, can read these posts and quickly determine your home may be empty for an extended period of time.

Perhaps you're already on top of this and feel you have done a decent job protecting your identity. Have you thought about the photographs you upload? Most digital cameras today record "meta data" with each .jpg file. This meta data includes date, time and more and more often, the exact coordinates of where the photo was taken. Normally, this should not be of any concern...but do keep this in mind when you upload pictures to any social media. If you want to upload a "clean" picture, without latitude/longitude coordinates, one way to do it is to take a screenshot of the .jpg file with something like Windows Paint, for example, and save the screenshot as a .jpg file on your computer and then upload it. The quality will still be good enough for TF uploads to look decent.
No thieves are doing that. Lol. I have phone numbers and addresses posted all over the internet and print ads going back 40 years, and other than robocalls from companies wanting to sell me extended auto warranties, and Google wanting to “move you up to the first page in search engines”, there’s no phone calls, no mailing, and certainly no visits. Nobody is after you, and nobody wants to kidnap your kids.
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Old 05-24-2021, 12:03 PM   #8
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There are varying degrees of identity theft, and the data that we post even inadvertently can certainly provide fraudsters with additional information to work with.

I've been a victim of identity theft to the tune of having a car financed in my name without my knowledge, thankfully I had credit monitoring, if I hadn't I would have found out much later than I did and things would have been far more complicated. I've also had a debit card compromised, these things certainly happen and the thieves are getting more sophisticated.

A colleague of mine was victimized when a scammer used social media posted information to steal his phone number. The scammer got a mobile phone company to think that his phone was lost and took control of his phone number, they then used that to take control of his bank accounts and some of his investment accounts, stealing quite a large sum of crypto currency.

ScottC is quite correct that if you post an image directly from your phone onto the internet, it likely contains the exact GPS coordinates of where it was taken. Potentially useful information to some.

Advice to be careful is not misplaced and I don't think it's silly. A credit monitor service should be top of your list for security! A good password manager that generates new, unique passwords for each site you visit is also a great idea then a leak at one site is really not of much concern aside from possibly a credit card you might have used on it. For password managers there is LastPass, Roboform, there are others.
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Old 05-24-2021, 01:03 PM   #9
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There are varying degrees of identity theft, and the data that we post even inadvertently can certainly provide fraudsters with additional information to work with.

I've been a victim of identity theft to the tune of having a car financed in my name without my knowledge, thankfully I had credit monitoring, if I hadn't I would have found out much later than I did and things would have been far more complicated. I've also had a debit card compromised, these things certainly happen and the thieves are getting more sophisticated.

A colleague of mine was victimized when a scammer used social media posted information to steal his phone number. The scammer got a mobile phone company to think that his phone was lost and took control of his phone number, they then used that to take control of his bank accounts and some of his investment accounts, stealing quite a large sum of crypto currency.

ScottC is quite correct that if you post an image directly from your phone onto the internet, it likely contains the exact GPS coordinates of where it was taken. Potentially useful information to some.

Advice to be careful is not misplaced and I don't think it's silly. A credit monitor service should be top of your list for security! A good password manager that generates new, unique passwords for each site you visit is also a great idea then a leak at one site is really not of much concern aside from possibly a credit card you might have used on it. For password managers there is LastPass, Roboform, there are others.
You know all those strangers at businesses you give all your information to when you attempt to use their customer service? Them. You know all the strangers at the bank who have access to ALL your information? Them. Who are these people?
Most thefts are inside jobs. The most successful thief (before internet)I’ve ever met (knew him from elementary school) was a very trusted head of security for a Security Company. Nobody ever suspected him because real thieves don’t look like the ones on TV. He had all the keys, and all the codes. He retired with no one ever being the wiser. His wife hasn’t a clue to his adventures.
Now you have kids sitting In Thailand, N.Vietnam, and Eastern Europe on their laptops who are experts in hacking major computer networks. Even their bosses at major Tech Companies think they’re living in America at the addresses they gave when hired (in face interviews in the tech world hasn’t been a thing for decades) years ago. Them.
Remember Goodfellas? “What about the security.” -I am the security!”, as he jingled the keys. What you need to worry about are the dudes high on drugs, who DON’T think things out in advance. I visit people at their ground level homes who talk about their security systems. I’m like “I could throw this wrought iron patio chair through your plate glass and be in, and on you in your bedroom, before you had time to sit up in your bed”. I would never live on a first floor anywhere. I’ve had fishing poles stolen off my flybridge when I was down below. Afterwards “yeah, I do remember a boat slowing down, and a little motion like someone stepping on a railing”. But in 2014 I had my 4788 stolen from my dock in Miami in broad daylight. I got it back myself because I had a feeling where he was heading. The police and Coast Guard were 100% useless. I called the Tow Boat companies and they put out a BOLO, and received a call back within minutes of “just saw it heading up the Miami River” to exactly where I was already driving. Caught the guy getting ready to put it in his slings, and put it next to all the other big boats he had covered with tarps”. 911 had me on hold for over 20 minutes, so instead decided to make friends with this guy because having friends with balls that big, is worth having in ones. Rolodex. He had done his homework, and last saw the boat being registered in Mississippi, so figured “Owners is out of state”. He said “Coast Guard? I just waved at them as I passes within 100’ of them, as I passed them in the turning basin. They waved back”. When I called them hours earlier to report the theft, with likelihood of it heading towards the cruise ships I could see in port, they told me to “call back tomorrow”. Good thing the bottom was fouled with bottom growth, or he would had gotten away. So that’s ONE good reason not to regularly clean your running gear.
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Old 05-24-2021, 01:03 PM   #10
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I guess I have been lucky.

I did buy a new RIB and a 9.9 Honda outboard, put it all on my charge card and within an hour got a message, you bought WHAT???
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Old 05-24-2021, 01:13 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Mortensi View Post
You know all those strangers at businesses you give all your information to when you attempt to use their customer service? Them. You know all the strangers at the bank who have access to ALL your information? Them. Who are these people?
Most thefts are inside jobs. The most successful thief I’ve ever met (knew him from elementary school) was a very trusted head of security for a Security Company. Nobody ever suspected him because real thieves don’t look like the ones on TV. He had all the keys, and all the codes. He retired with no one ever being the wiser. His wife hasn’t a clue to his adventures.
Now you have kids sitting In Thailand, N.Vietnam, and Eastern Europe on their laptops who are experts in hacking major computer networks. Even their bosses at major Tech Companies think they’re living in America at the addresses they gave when hired (in face interviews in the tech world hasn’t been a thing for decades) years ago. Them.
Remember Goodfellas? “What about the security.” -I am the security!”, as he jingled the keys. What you need to worry about is the dudes high on drugs, and don’t think things out in advance. I visit people at their ground level homes and talk about their security systems. I’m like “I could throw this wrought iron patio chair through your plate glass and be in, and on you in your bedroom, before you had time to sit up in your bed”. I would never live on a first floor anywhere.
I'm curious where the statistics for this would come from. In all the instances of identity theft and credit/debit/account fraud/theft I've been aware of, none were by an insider. None attracted much of any attention from the police even when they were provided with extensive information to go on. I have no doubt inside jobs happen, but there are plenty of relatively intelligent thieves working to steal from any source they can find.

When my identity was stolen and used to purchase a myriad of things in my name, the police showed no interest in doing anything at all. I hired a private investigator to help me track down the thief, which we succeeded in doing, in 7 days. When he was arrested, his apartment contained hundreds of identities, all of which he was using to live his life, none of which he had ties to. He plead guilty and was sentenced to 18 months of which I believe he served 10.
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Old 05-24-2021, 01:58 PM   #12
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How did I forget?

How many of you have dealt with the Health Insurance Market Place in Kentucky?
They have TOTAL access to 100% of your personal information including your tax returns. Anyone bother to think about the possibility of them taking said info home to their kinfolk?
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Old 05-24-2021, 02:09 PM   #13
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A family member had their ID stolen from a doctor's office that had not been used in a decade or so. The insider had access to old files, knew the person was not going to the provider, and they had all of the persons information...

A coworker made a mistake and connected a USB drive to their wifi router so everyone in the house could see the drive. Unfortunately, there was a security vulnerability in the router that allowed people outside the home to see the data on the drive. Said drive had enough personal information to steal their identity.

We have had numerous false charges appear on various credit cards over the years. No real idea on how that happens but it does. Could be skimmers at gas stations or people with access at online stores. Hard to tell.

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Old 05-24-2021, 02:16 PM   #14
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I'm curious where the statistics for this would come from. In all the instances of identity theft and credit/debit/account fraud/theft I've been aware of, none were by an insider. None attracted much of any attention from the police even when they were provided with extensive information to go on. I have no doubt inside jobs happen, but there are plenty of relatively intelligent thieves working to steal from any source they can find.

When my identity was stolen and used to purchase a myriad of things in my name, the police showed no interest in doing anything at all. I hired a private investigator to help me track down the thief, which we succeeded in doing, in 7 days. When he was arrested, his apartment contained hundreds of identities, all of which he was using to live his life, none of which he had ties to. He plead guilty and was sentenced to 18 months of which I believe he served 10.
I was paying my restaurant bill, when my credit card was declined, and the waitress said to call the bank. I did. They asked if I had just bought a pitbull, and $500.00 of dog food from a pet store, and a new big screen TV at Best Buy, both in Hialeah? I had not. She said Best Buy flagged the card because their physical appearances didn’t confirm with my ethnic name. They had them on video. The bank didn’t care, they erased $19,000., in total charges. I called a Hialeah police detective who said “yeah, we know exactly who they are, and where they operate from. They’re also big drug dealers, and steal cars, of which we are investigating, but if the banks don’t press charges we can’t do anything”. Gee, what a fool I feel like, to be working a honest job when apparently criminals can steal from banks with impunity.
They had cloned my credit card which I had used at their Muffler Shop weeks earlier. I do remember remarking to them about all the beautiful cars they had at such a grungy stop on 7th Avenue.
Apparently there’s no enforcement of any laws in America anymore. Hmmm.
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Old 05-25-2021, 09:48 AM   #15
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Apparently there’s no enforcement of any laws in America anymore.

It isn't law enforcement, it is the banks a CC companies. until they get serious and really crack down on fraud (like photos on credit cards for instance), nothing will change. Experian and Equifax are almost no help either. They are merely computer centers that put no effort into anything but data acquisition.

However, I barely care. I know that someone that robs my house... or wants to... is not waiting in the wings of LinkedIn until I post that I am out of town. It's as simple as being friendly with you neighbors. They will know if something is wrong. They watch you and much as you watch them. Meaning, they understand your comings and goings and will easily spot someone that shouldn't be there. And with the advent of modern security measures like doorbell cameras, there are even fewer opportunities for criminals to get away with it... That said... would someone that wants to steal from your home while you are away even care about cameras? Probably not... but it is less even likely they'd friend you on Facebook.

Don't give into too much paranoia. It isn't healthy. Use caution for sure, but don't go through life scared.
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Old 05-25-2021, 10:39 AM   #16
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I swear I used paragraphs when I typed my posts, but they turn into “run ons” when posted.
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Old 05-25-2021, 11:53 AM   #17
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I swear I used paragraphs when I typed my posts, but they turn into “run ons” when posted.
I always, well, mostly always, use the Go Advanced posting editor and then preview what I wrote. TF likes to put in more blank lines than it should for some reason. Preview allows me to see the mess and gives me a chance to clean it up. Kinda funny I get too many blank lines and you got none.

Course, it never fails that no matter how much I read and reread my post, there will be a typeo.

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Old 05-25-2021, 12:08 PM   #18
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Identity theft is a serious issue but usurping of identities online is often not financial transactions. A common issue today is seeing your photos show up on social media as another name or seeing an account created you had nothing to do with and no knowledge of. Checking social media and googling your name for any bogus accounts is important.

Checking bank accounts and credit reports and credit cards regularly and setting up alerts is the best protection against financial theft.

As to prosecution of identity theft, the victims (bank, credit card companies, etc.) are often of the mindset, "What's in it for me?" Sometimes they even think they have a greater chance of collecting without prosecuting. At one time, you, the person whose identity was stolen, didn't even have a crime to prosecute. Fortunately, identity theft is now a crime against you in most locations.

Now to Scott's post. Identifying where you are and where you are not does carry danger. Many home break ins are precipitated by vacation posts. Even some stalking precipitated by persons posting online with information identifying where they are or were. Even some exercise programs. In rare incidents (and none that I know of from TF), there have even been attacks or assaults which happened after and because of disagreements on forums.

Some risk seems to be mostly annoying but not dangerous initially, but I'd suggest otherwise. For instance, posting email addresses in forums would seem to only subject you to spamming and we all get that anyway. However, increasing the level always increases the risk that any of us will overlook a pfishing expedition of some sort and fall victim. After rejecting hundreds and thousands of attempts do we in a tired moment respond where we shouldn't. Also publishing emails and phone numbers provides one piece needed to change passwords and then the professional thieves start going after bank accounts or credit cards.

There is no complete protection and privacy is less protected each day of the technology age. Still, awareness is important and some is very high tech but some very low tech. Announcing to the world that my home in Miami is unprotected while I'm on the Great Loop when anyone can go to the property appraisal site and find your address if the home is in your name, is a prime facilitator of home theft. There are thieves who work primarily off of Facebook. Some have just updated the oldest scams and trickery. As to digital theft, our greatest risks are with merchants and our greatest protection is monitoring. Surprisingly to many, our lowest risk is with online purchases.

As to our personal careful protection of our privacy, it has absolutely nothing to do with any of the things discussed here and is a completely different matter.
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Old 05-25-2021, 12:26 PM   #19
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..
However, I barely care. I know that someone that robs my house... or wants to... is not waiting in the wings of LinkedIn until I post that I am out of town. It's as simple as being friendly with you neighbors. They will know if something is wrong. They watch you and much as you watch them. Meaning, they understand your comings and goings and will easily spot someone that shouldn't be there. And with the advent of modern security measures like doorbell cameras, there are even fewer opportunities for criminals to get away with it... That said... would someone that wants to steal from your home while you are away even care about cameras? Probably not... but it is less even likely they'd friend you on Facebook.
...
I would not depend on the neighbors. When we lived in the city the house next to us was robbed and nobody noticed. Hard to notice if everyone is at work or in the middle of the night. In our rural area, multiple houses were robbed. We all know who broke into the homes but proving it is another issue. The robberies occurred at night or during the day when not many people were around.

Cameras are problematic. Does the camera have the resolution to actually see a face? Can it see the face at night or in low light? Robbers have been wearing hoodies for a good long while. Can the camera actually see the face? Oh, yeah, now a days, people are wearing masks, so what will the camera see even if it can see?

People do get robbed by making posts on social media. It does happen. It might not be frequent, but all one has to do to prevent it, is be quiet.

Later,
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Old 05-25-2021, 12:34 PM   #20
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...In rare incidents (and none that I know of from TF), there have even been attacks or assaults which happened after and because of disagreements on forums. ....
I know of a situation on a different website where one member has threatened another. The victim is not using their name as a screen name, but over time has given out enough information so that the thug was able to find out where they lived, along with other personal information, which was used to terrorize the victim.

Flip side, the same means were used to track down they anonymous thug.

It is not hard to track someone down using the internet. So much of our information is out there, once one figures out a name....

Later,
Dan
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