Thank goodness my phone number is unpublished

[greeneyedlady]

Telephone number caution...



Google has implemented a new feature where in you can type someone's
telephone number into the search bar and hit enter and then you will be
given a map to their house.



Everyone should be aware of this!



Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked.



Before forwarding this, I tested it by typing some telephone numbers in
google.com.



The phone number came up, and when I clicked on the Map Quest link, it
actually mapped out where the person lived.



Look up your own number.



Read below for details. The safety issues are obvious, and alarming.



In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to:
<http://www.google.com/> http://www.google.com/



Type your phone number in the search bar (i.e. 555-555-1212) and hit
enter.



If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private information,
simply click on the Link with your phone number.



Removal takes 48-hours.



If you are unlisted in the phone book, you might not be in there, but it
is a good idea just to check.



If your number does come up if you hit map, it will show you a direct
map to your house.

[Lila]

I knew your phone number could be used to find out your address, but I didn't realize you could have it removed. Did it!

;)

Lila

[nursie]

I hate to tell you this but people have been able to do this kind of thing already. I do it for work, in home health sometimes you don't always get right addresses. You go out on www.anywho.com, andthere is a link to click on to get the map. This has been available for several years. If you number is listed in the "white pages" anyone can do this. If it is unlisted they can't.
Anywho is a site sponsored by AT&T, and there does not apear to be a way to block.
Even if they didn't have the link, all someone would have to do is go voer to mapquest and enter the address and get a map that way.

[Dangerdoll]

ewwwwwwwww!! I just typed in my phone number and it came up a different person and address...... and to boot, I'm constantly getting wrong number calls for the lady...

[hcgirl80]

The internet is getting more "dangerous" every day....

[slipknottin]

Yea, reverse phone number lookups will take a phone number and give you the persons name and address. Then put the addy into something like yahoo maps and there you go.

This really is no worse than it was before. Maybe made it slightly simpler to do.

[Timmain42]

The internet is getting more "dangerous" every day....
"Guns don't kill people, people kill people."

I understand what you're getting at, but the fact remains that the 'Net isn't actually dangerous in and of itself, it's the people who mine and manipulate data who are dangerous.

I have long been of the belief that the 'Net is nothing but the public dumping ground of information for the entire world. There's a lot of good info, but there's 10x as much junk. And being a member of this growing society that we call "Users" (throw me back to 'Tron,' old-school references aren't what they used to be), you really have signed your privacy away on the dotted line. It's a reality we're all going to have to get used to in this age of information warfare, supahSpammers, and identity thieves.

[Harlock]

"Guns don't kill people, people kill people."
No no no, it goes:

"Guns don't kill people, I kill people." That's why I'm not so worried about this kind of thing. Someone wants to find me, it's not hard at all. If they think they're going to harm me or my family however, I will protect my home with deadly force and not think twice. And, if someone really wants me dead, there are hundreds of ways they could do it where I wouldn't stand a chance or even know it was coming. That's life folks.

Cheers! :laugh:

[Timmain42]

:laugh:

[Dangerdoll]

No no no, it goes:

"Guns don't kill people, I kill people." That's why I'm not so worried about this kind of thing. Someone wants to find me, it's not hard at all. If they think they're going to harm me or my family however, I will protect my home with deadly force and not think twice. And, if someone really wants me dead, there are hundreds of ways they could do it where I wouldn't stand a chance or even know it was coming. That's life folks.

Cheers! :laugh:
weren't you saying the other day Harlock, that you could be a little high-strung? :eek:

(j/k ;) )

[adgolde]

im going with Harlock on this one! :bowing:

[Tuolumne]

I've ALWAYS had an unlisted number. When I was little (3 or 4), there was an obscene phone caller that would call my mom and he could tell her what she was wearing and where she was standing and other creepy stuff, then he started commenting on how he watched me play in the playground that day...the situation was resolved eventually, but ever since then, both my mom and I will never, EVER have a listed phone number.

It obviously doesn't guarantee safety, but it's one less thing to worry about.

[ScottoMacD]

I wonder if this is only in the US.

Even if I type google.com I end up at google.ca.

When I typed in the # I got the typical response.
"Your search - 514-***-**** - did not match any documents."

Well I feel better.

[nursie]

...but the fact remains that the 'Net isn't actually dangerous in and of itself, it's the people who mine and manipulate data who are dangerous.

Absolutely, the internet has just made it easier for them to do so.

Harlock, I agree with the right to protect yourself in your home. DH has a few little surprises planted around the house, and we have a 100 lb boxer that does not like anyone but us and our 2 kids. He will go after anyone that enters the house.

[Matak]

True Scotto, but 411.ca and Canada411 will both do reverse lookups.