Warning: Do not post personal info anywhere on the web (work, phone)

[GreenMachine]

I just googled my name and was alarmed to find some personal information on the web. I posted the info on a site, where it should have been made private and available to only other registered viewers. But no, turns out anyone in the world can access it. What disturbs me is that I've also gotten some threatening phone calls lately. I'm taking care of the matter, but I want to warn others to NEVER post your personal info on the web. It opens you up to ID theft and a host of other problems.

Happy Holidays,

Greenie

[pghquest]

Yep.. I'm listed in Wikopedia.. Trying to get my name removed, and have found that several people have contacted me through various methods.

Luckily my phone number is not listed under my name, so I dont have issues with calls.. but people have contacted me using other methods, including online screenames like aol etc..

[DanielChang]

Whoa, Greenie. That can be scary stuff. Have you guys heard of zabasearch.com ? A lot of scary info there too. The worst part of stuff on the internet is you don't know what is archived/cached and where. Once the information is "out there" it's basically in the public domain. Can't put the genie back in the bottle.

[aaauger]

I'll add to Greenie's post: search on your children's names as well. If they show up, work to get it removed immediately. Our school asks every year if they can use our child's name and photo for publicity on the web. The answer is always "NO". The same goes for our child using the Internet at school. Upon discovering that the kids were playing a game where they killed humans that had turned into monsters (somehow that sanctifies the killing), we realized that the kids weren't so supervised....

[GreenMachine]

Originally Posted by jinxor

Whoa, Greenie. That can be scary stuff. Have you guys heard of zabasearch.com ? A lot of scary info there too. The worst part of stuff on the internet is you don't know what is archived/cached and where. Once the information is "out there" it's basically in the public domain. Can't put the genie back in the bottle.

I had them take the info off the website, but it is still showing up in an internet search. If you click on the link, it is blank. Do you know how to get my stuff off the cache?

Thanks

[GreenMachine]

I tried zabasearch and found my name, phone number, and every place I ever lived in listed on there. This is really scary stuff.

I sometimes date men I meet on the internet. I use a different name, and they'll ask, why didn't you tell me you're real name. Well, I am never giving out my real name again.

I got this awful phone call yesterday. It was some guy calling me all kinds of names. I'm almost certain it was this guy I went on a date with a few months ago. I knew there was something weird about him. I left him at the restaurant, and he took it very personally. I got this lengthy email from him later accusing me of this and that. I accidentally gave him my real name and phone # (it was a slip) but from now on I will be extra careful and never trust anyone.

[Tek_Freek]

A very good thing to be concerned about.

Greenie, I'm not sure you can do much about the cache. You might try contacting (if you find the contact info) the search engine you use to find it and ask them to clear it, but that's a long shot. Problem is that all search engines may have it by now and getting it removed form every one...

I am so not-findable on the Internet you wouldn't believe it. I run my own business, and have a multi-page site on the Internet for it. My name appears nowhere on it. The address is a PO Box. I also host a genealogy web site for a book containing the history of our county written in 1880.

I could give you my full name and the city I live in. You won't find me through Internet search engines. The one time I found my address and phone number in some on line phone service I had it removed. I am, and will remain, invisible. As is my wife.

Greenie, if I think of anything I'll let you know.

Tek

[Tek_Freek]

How to Remove Personal Information from Zabasearch - Zabasearch Personal Information

This mentions removing data from Zabasearch and having the search engine cache expire, which sounds correct. Not sure how long it takes though. That might be the case with what you just did.

There is some very good information in this article. I recommend that everyone read it.

BTW: They have my name in there, but when you click on it it goes to the wrong person! LMAO!!! Does the same for my wife.

[GreenMachine]

How long does it take for my name to come out of the cache? Surely, the search engines update their information, right?

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

How long does it take for my name to come out of the cache? Surely, the search engines update their information, right?

Webmaster Help Center

"Removing my content from the Google index"