Revealing Usernames

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rec7
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Re: Revealing Usernames

Post by rec7 »

I could use my real name. I think there are 8 people with my name in my hometown. I am guessing hundreds around the county. My first and last name are both common.
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The Wizard
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Re: Revealing Usernames

Post by The Wizard »

randomizer wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 6:25 pm
...Unfortunately, once you've gone too far down this path, there is no real way out. You could ask an admin to delete your account, I guess, but I bet they won't delete all the threads you've been in. Once the genie is out of the bottle, it can't be put back in. :(
Ok, but how many real name people, from Taylor to Mel to Rick Ferri and so on have reported significant problems due to their openness?
I don't know the answer, I'm just asking.
And what form does the inflicted malice take? Identity theft on multiple occasions? People camping on their doorsteps looking for handouts?
What are the realistic worst case scenarios if I were to have my moniker changed to my real name?
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retiredjg
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Re: Revealing Usernames

Post by retiredjg »

The Wizard wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 7:00 pm
randomizer wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 6:25 pm
...Unfortunately, once you've gone too far down this path, there is no real way out. You could ask an admin to delete your account, I guess, but I bet they won't delete all the threads you've been in. Once the genie is out of the bottle, it can't be put back in. :(
Ok, but how many real name people, from Taylor to Mel to Rick Ferri and so on have reported significant problems due to their openness?
I don't know the answer, I'm just asking.
And what form does the inflicted malice take? Identity theft on multiple occasions? People camping on their doorsteps looking for handouts?
What are the realistic worst case scenarios if I were to have my moniker changed to my real name?
I'm not worried about Taylor or Mel or Rick. They know what they are doing.

But some people just tell us too much. Some even post pictures or charts from accounts with their real names and emails on them. I've privately contacted more than a couple.

When we know they have $2 million in the bank and their kid goes to private school in such and such a city....and their spouse works for such and such university....you connect the dots.

My only point is that people come here and start using a name and never realize, until it is too late, that they may be completely transparent. Why not just avoid that from the start?

I agree it may not be a realistic worst case scenario that will happen often, but once is too often.
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randomizer
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Re: Revealing Usernames

Post by randomizer »

The Wizard wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 7:00 pm
Ok, but how many real name people, from Taylor to Mel to Rick Ferri and so on have reported significant problems due to their openness?
They are "public figures" in a sense and definitely not sharing intimate details of what and where their financial holdings and family circumstances and problems are.
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RetiredArtist
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Re: Revealing Usernames

Post by RetiredArtist »

I want to change my user name (to be less identifiable) but can't figure out how. Not in settings. Please advise in detail. I am new to this group & am puzzled by format. (Is there a wiki on how to get around?)
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retiredjg
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Re: Revealing Usernames

Post by retiredjg »

RetiredArtist wrote: Tue Aug 22, 2017 12:26 pm I want to change my user name (to be less identifiable) but can't figure out how. Not in settings. Please advise in detail. I am new to this group & am puzzled by format. (Is there a wiki on how to get around?)
See the little exclamation point in your post? Click it to send a message to an administrator. Someone will help you out with that.
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LadyGeek
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Re: Revealing Usernames

Post by LadyGeek »

^^^ It's fixed. See: change user name?
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nymeria.stark
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Re: Revealing Usernames

Post by nymeria.stark »

randomizer wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 6:25 pm
retiredjg wrote: Wed Aug 16, 2017 5:40 pm This is EXACTLY why I started this thread.

People join with the idea that they won't reveal much or that it does not matter....but so much does get revealed in the long run. And it does matter.

Even if you never intend to ask questions here, do not use anything like your real name and certainly do not include things like "my kid turned 7 today", etc.
I think the problem is that when you start you may not realize just how much information you'll end up giving out. You start off as a lurker, maybe ask a few general questions, and then you eventually start asking for personalized advice. The more info you give, the better advice you get. Sometimes well-intentioned posters will actively seek out additional detail in order to provide better help. Before you know it you've shared enough info for people that already know you in real life to spot you despite your anonymous username like "KenFromMaryland56" (in real life, James, from Nevada, 44) even if you've tried to be sufficiently discrete/fuzzy in the info that your deal out. And people that know you in real life aren't even the ones you need to worry about. It's the nasty criminal types.

Unfortunately, once you've gone too far down this path, there is no real way out. You could ask an admin to delete your account, I guess, but I bet they won't delete all the threads you've been in. Once the genie is out of the bottle, it can't be put back in. :(
Yes! You get addicted! That's how I started. :D And so many times, you do ask a question, and suddenly everyone knows how much your mortgage payments are and how much you're paying in student loans and whether or not you need braces. Heh.
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GMT-8
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Re: Revealing Usernames

Post by GMT-8 »

The most dangerous fallout / privacy invation I've had was after a few hundred eBay postings with 100% positive feedback. I ran into a guy who wanted increasingly more concessions on an order (his second one) in exchange for his threat not to give me negative feedback.

At the time payment and shipping info was pretty generally exchanged between buyers and sellers. So because of his first purchase, he knew where I lived (return address label on the package), and what bank we'd used to exchange funds, and so forth.

Eventually he sent a series of threatening letters about my house, family, and so forth. I reported him to eBay and they terminated his account, because he had done the same to multiple other sellers. It didn't really relieve my sense that something ominous could happen.

So I changed all my account names, aliases, etc. and pretty much abandoned eBay and most social sites.

GMT-8
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