'Internet Privacy Risks'

Jose (200.172.107.189) -

What are the biggest risks to privacy from the internet? Why are those risks specific to the internet?

Comment #1 Sweetnexx from Earth, the Universe -

Well, the Biggest Risks that I know of are the places that ask you to do surveys. They ask questions about your household, your income, your sex, your car, your contents of your home, financial questions.

They ask so many questions about you that they really have all your information if they put them all together. You have to know who these sites are before putting down this information or they can easily do identity theft with this knowledge.

Comment #2 Lana from The Dental Office -

Wow, I never thought that the internet surveys you take would do anything if you didn't give them the important information like your DL #, SS#, and so on. I never do those surveys, thank goodness.

Comment #3 PokerPrincess (1) from Earth -

Well, not all internet surveys are going to do that. They are reputable companies such as IpsoReid and others that do this to earn their living. However, when you go to a site that you are not familiar with and they "offer" you a bonus of some kind to take their surveys then you are asking for problems.

I do the Ipso and Greenfield surveys but I make sure not to answer any pertinent personal questions such as income, birthdates things like that.

Comment #4 Milly from Wisconsin -

I take surveys as well, and I lie about my birthdate. I don't want to give out personal info like that. You need to be carefull about which companies you are dealing with.

Comment #5 shaun from nova scotia -

My wife [zoya, she is seen on this forum as well] does these surveys often. But i believe she lies about her birthdate and really personal information like that. But i'll double check when i talk to her, she just left for work.

I got to say.. this forum has taught me a lot, and has made me a lot more paranoid! I don't know if i should hug you or not.. ha!

Comment #6 Sam from Net -

Thanks for the warning. It was at an appropriate time. I have received few offers from a survey site. Actually it is ditficult to understand the motive which is under disguise.

Comment #7 PokerPrincess (1) from Earth -

Well, there are a lot of legitimate survey sites. Ipso, Greenfield, Spot Survey to name a few but you really need to take a look at what they are and the types of questions they ask in order to feel safe doing them.

I have done several and get paid money from some and points to buy things with from others. But I'm always careful about what I disclose to them.

Comment #8 matt from right there!!! -

Criminals will try anything to get your personal information. This world is getting crazy. I never though that taking a survey could jeopardize my personal information.

Comment #9 Tara from Somewhere cold -

Geez, I never thought that taking a survey would jeopardize me in any way either. I do a lot of surveys online and get paid to do so, but now I suppose I should be more aware of what's out there.

Comment #10 Jenna from A highly secure location -

I never ever thought about surveys being malicious. I'm sure they're not all like this. There are some legit ones out there that will SPAM your e-mail address afterwards at worst or they'll sell your e-mail address of to some spam list.

Comment #11 George from Montana -

Years ago when they resinstituted draft registation in the USA, the government bought the list of people who has entered a constest at an Ice Cream shop hoping to develope a list of young men that were 18 and hadn't registered.

Of course it turned into a circus because of the great gobs of bogus information put on the entry slips...

Comment #12 Emma (144.92.81.181) -

Shopping online is a huge privacy risk. That's why I use the a.K.a Card. If you save any of that information, your identity is as well as gone. If the merchant looses it, same thing. Oh, and new wrinkle- if Fidelity looses it!

• The a.K.a Card

Comment #13 Martin from Kansas -

Actually, I think online shopping is one of the least important ways your privacy is at risk.

"Shopping online is a huge privacy risk". Really you meant fraud risk. You meant that because you want people to believe that becuase they shop online someone (a merchant?) will steal their card number a buy a bunch of stuff.

The fact is when you shop online it is likely that LESS people (ie: quiet possible NO ONE) will see or have easy access to your card number.

Additionally at most you have a $50 liability for unauthorized charges and for practical purposes I would say no responsibility for changes if someone steals your card number on or off line.

If you are paranoid about that check out Paypal virtual (ie: one time use) card numbers.

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