Discussion Thread : Your Safety On The Internet.

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[Snoskred]

Here is the discussion thread for this important topic.

Discuss away!

[LettersFromEurope]

When I receive requests to be added to my mailing list, I google the Sender to see what other posts they have responded to or check out their home page. (This is possible of course, because the requests are few).

I don´t answer requests for contact on Facebook unless I know the person or have associated with them "virtually" for a longer time. I have also activated most safety features there and I don´t put any of my private pictures on there. Same on the Business network I am on, where I make few details available to the general public.

I told friends, that if somebody they knew wanted to contact me, the should give me the telephone number and I would call. My friends were and are not allowed to give my number to a third party.

When I answer the phone I say Hello  and wait to hear who it is before I say my own name.

(Stalking and other happens to a lot of people.)

[Carole in Mexico]

Thank you for this information, Snoskred.  Please let us know if you find yourself in your search.    I never understood why people choose to hide their identity...until now.  It greatly disturbs me what's happened to AKM.    I'd like to make a donation to Mudflats, I've certainly gotten my money's worth here, is it safe to use my PayPal acct (it is directly tied to my server addy).  Thanks in advance,  Carole

[bonefish]

Snoskred, thanks! Great information that I often forget. But shouldn't...

[futurexpat?]

A Google Search has me all over the place. I was told recently that I was on LinkedIn, and I am, although I never put myself there. The information about me is correct, though. Some of the newsletters I've edited are there, information from my college, Phi Theta Kappa, other things. I posted a review of a product I bought once, and it's on there.

My last name is spelled what seems like the correct way to me, but most people don't spell it that way without being told the spelling. There's another woman on Facebook with my name and spelling and, apparently, a poet with the same name.

It was an interesting diversion. The Phi Theta Kappa one makes me a little nervous because it's about how much money I donated, but other than that, nothing much that really upsets me, at least on the three pages I searched. I think I will try to remember to check it occasionally now.

Thanks, Snoskred. 

[Snoskred]

My reasons for anonymity

In my Internet Lives, I have had many different identities. Not a single one of them ever involved using my real name. I used my real first name with a fake surname, for a while. I then switched to a completely fake name, however after a while I found that someone else was using that same name and I wanted to be unique - plus, I got into scambaiting and you really have to be anonymous when you're doing that. So I changed to using a "handle" - an internet name only.

Snoskred is actually Norwegian for Avalanche. When I am asked to give a first and last name, I always use Snoskred Avalanche. It is patently obvious to people that is a fake name, I don't hide the fact that it is a fake name, and if people ask why I am happy to explain it.

Usually that explanation goes something like "I baited the Nigerian scammers, and they would love to know who I really am - they might end up on my doorstep".

What I have not explained in detail is that three Nigerian scammers spent time in a South African jail cell, because of a sting that I was a part of. I had one Nigerian scammer arrested by the secret service in New York - he was deported from the US. I was a part of a group who assisted the South African police in investigations including kidnapping of scam victims. And, I got some Nigerian Scammers to paint their faces, with butterflies. And a few other things, too..

I also have collected over 5 million US dollars in fake cheques from the scammers. Generally in law enforcement circles it is believed that it costs the scammers 10% of the dollar value on the cheque - they have to pay that to the people who counterfeit the cheques. If that is true, I have personally cost them over half a million dollars.

What they also don't know is, these scams are big money for the Nigerian Scammers. Any baiter who gets in their way is someone they would like to get rid of. They have murdered scam victims in the past, they have turned up on the doorsteps of baiters who were not careful enough with their anonymity. So I take some fairly careful precautions to make sure that does not happen to me.

Anyway, that is just some background info, for ya'all.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Great stuff Snos.

I'll give one for surfing anonymously:
http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-snoop.cgi

The next step is a Proxy Server.
How To Set Up a proxy server from your browser:
http://freeproxy.ru/en/free_proxy/howuse.htm

Some more info and instructions:
http://www.guidescope.com/gman/howtos.htm

Free proxy server numbers list....
http://www.proxy4free.com/
http://www.publicproxyservers.com/page1.html
http://nntime.com/
http://rosinstrument.com/proxy/

or with Hotspotshield by Anchorfree. Make sure you d/l specifically for PC or Mac. Install>Open>then Connect. Free.


10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know
In case you were thinking of it....
http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy/

[Deuce2 AL Renegade]

@ Quetzalcoatl: I checked out a few of the sites you referred to. One of the instructions is for IE5&6. Would it be the same for IE 7?   I ask because I use FIREFOX (primary) and also IE 7 (sometimes). Or would it be better to download Hotspotshield? Please post for other interested parties and PM me with the answer if you will.

[LettersFromEurope]

A thread made in heaven. Thankyou!!

I just asked the school not to replicate everybody´s e-mails in the Address line. Haven´t they heard of BCC!!! You guys are enabling me... (am just sending the facebook thing to all my friends on facebook too).

Take care Snoskred. Your life sounds too exciting for me.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Deuce2,
Hotspotshield is the easiest. The other method, a lot of parameters you get to choose, Country, latency etc....

As for which version of IE? I don't even recommend it, but I'm guessing yes, the idea being they lead you to where you get to change ports and fake ISP #''s . Firefox [Mozilla] all the way.

[Deuce2 AL Renegade]

Deuce2,
Hotspotshield is the easiest. The other method, a lot of parameters you get to choose, Country, latency etc....

As for which version of IE? I don't even recommend it, but I'm guessing yes, the idea being they lead you to where you get to change ports and fake ISP #''s . Firefox [Mozilla] all the way.

I have windows live one care with auto updates, firefox browser. Am I fairly safe for the scary April worm?

[Writing from Alaska]

Just reading this stuff boggles my noggin - we are trying to prepare children to live in the age of technology and it is beginning to look like a never ending entanglement of data, information, and vulnerability. It is a whole new way of thinking to be concerned about safety or privacy on this level - I am not sure I like it, to tell you the truth, but I am posting here so that this thread will come up when I check posts and remind to come back and do some of this searching when I am ready. I have done lots of google searches on myself and found some surprising stuff, mostly harmless or even complimentary, but not ready for the deeper layers discussed here. -I will come back when I have my scuba gear - and thanks Snoskred.

[Deuce2 AL Renegade]

Conficker worm reaches go time, to no effect 

SAN FRANCISCO - The malicious Conficker Internet worm is trying to reach its creators more aggressively today. But nothing noticeable has happened.   

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29981552/wid/11915829?GT1=40006

[futurexpat?]

I read that a version of this also went out at the end of 2008 and in January of this year. I had a worm that got in and took a lot of time to clean up in January (by my son, not me). I am wondering if that's what did it. It was a huge mess to clean up for him, but he added extra precautions, so I am not so worried about this one. I just got a new little mini for travel, though, so I'm not even opening it today, and I'll double check on what protection I have on it in the next few days.

I have three e-mail accounts. One does not have my name on it anywhere, and I use it very sparingly. My primary account goes through a filter called pobox.com. One of the advantages of it is that if my e-mail address changes (as it did a number of times not by my choice but because of changes by our ISP), I just have to update with pobox.com and no one else knows I actually have a different address. I pay for this, but it sure stops an awful lot of spam.

[judi]

as someone who knows so little...I so appreciate this post...will read it and follow some of the suggestions.

I just had someone hijack my email account...at first I thought it was a virus...sent out emails to all in my address book, including AK!, telling them to go to some eletronic site for sales...then started to email people I did not know, but from my account

had a computer kid here (he is a genius) who first tried to remove all the virusus...after he got all done...it was still there

then he saw that it had been hijacked...so he cleaned my computer clean of everything, and I had to change my pw for email...so far good

as someone who knows so little, I most likely should not do what I do on the computer...I pay all my bills, accounts, etc...sign petitions, join groups, etc...

this is a wonderful post for people like me...who are putting themselves in harm's way and dont even know it..

thanks!!!!

[littlemoon]

What if  one covets and expects anonymity on the internet, but OUTS someone else... (Doogan or NOT Doogan)

What then? What do we think and say about that?

How do we handle that kind of deception and 2 faced-ness?

Are TROLLS entitled to anonymity too???

[Lani]

If you use Amazon.com (buy from, sell on, post reviews and comments, have a wishlist), check your profile!  The viewing settings have "public" as a default.

[Forty Watt]

Thank you, Lani.  I was unaware of this. 

[LettersFromEurope]

amazon.com   Yes, but isn´t it possible to change the name that is visible for all as well? I changed it to an alias (I think it is like that. It´s been ages since I used it.) But privatizing it all sounds better.
Thanks.

[Lani]

Check the profiles in your on-line photo services as well.  Photobucket, for example, needs to be marked private.  Otherwise, someone who clicks on a photo you post may have access to all of your photos.  That will prevent being found by searches as well.