Genealogy Chat

Very good advice, but there are other things you need to do as well. Remove your name and address from the phone book, and tear up your check book. How many people put their address on the back of a cheque?

Totally agree Dem ...... there's just some people you can't tell.... well you can tell ....but it doesn't sink in. In fact the whole of the internet is a death trap for some people. My tree has one person in now.........me ....the rest is on paper, as I'm starting to think the whole world's gone mad... must be an age thing...... lol Right ....... that's my moan over with as well!!! jean

Sorry Didn't mean to intimate that this thread was a moan( just reread my post)! Meant to comment on the people who have been stupid enough to give their identities away Dem

I have spent years warning the naive on here, suggested a beginner board and given up in despair. There used to be an old saying that some people are 'born to be hanged' I am old enough to throw up my hands and saying that there are more suckers waiting to be fleeced than when I was younger.( and there were enough then) We were suspicious and wary of the 'wide boys',the oddly behaved, and the ones to be wary of. Age brings with it a certain weary acceptance that you can't change human frailities . Frankly if they don't take responibility for their own actions, then Hard Luck. Just don't waste space moaning about it . Dem

I agree, too, Jill. A while ago I had a contact who opened their tree to me and I was astounded how much information was on it - even down to the fact that either they (or someone in their immediate family) had had a premature baby who died at birth or something very similar. When I saw it, it just seemed much too personal a thing to be on this site. Another contact I made had added their teenage children and written in their notes which schools or colleges they attended. What with little Maddie McCann being in the news so recently, it is a bit worrying that people on this site are putting enough information on their tree that any ill-meaning contacts could quite easily locate these schools and possibly track down the children in these trees. As someone has said a long time ago, you don't know that every contact is as genuine and well-meaning as you may be yourself.

I NEVER OPEN MY TREE AND KEEP THE LEAST INFO ON THERE I HAVE MINE ALL ON PAPER SJ

Theres also TOO much info given on the 'trying to find' board! They give thier name and DOB also parents DOBs....town and county where born..... Criminals of fraud must think it's xmas and birthdays all in one on this site!!!! Gerri.....(aged 22 from timbucktoooo) lol.....not ;-)

I think most GR members are totally unaware of the security glitches that mean people are given access to their trees without their knowledge. Ive removed my tree from here now following some disturbing incidences and I am still receiving almost daily emails giving me access to people's trees who I have never contacted and indeed who I have no connection to. I will sometimes click on the view to see if there is an obvious connection and I can read the tree originators date of birth, job, hubby etc. Its horrifying.

Hi Jill I agree - I put very few details on here. It worries me when I see some names of people - babies - who were born just a year or two ago - makes me wonder how much info some people do include in their trees. Jill

Hi List, I know this has been mentioned before but people are still too trusting with the info they share with other's. We all like to make new contacts but some take everything without asking. This is the age of Identity Fraud, once caught out it takes forever to rectify, I know it happend to my son it was a nightmare it took us four years to put right. Just a warning to everyone reasearching PLEASE don't put your DOB. or the address where you live in your tree because when you do a search it will all show up for everyone to see. I think it's about time Genes tried to do something about letting people put in details like this. I've been a member since almost the begining and it's a great site & great members except for the few that take without asking I hope you don't mind me sounding off like this, please just be careful. Regards Jill