WARNING !! Watch your GR Tree

[Gadget]

Yes - try 192.com - the only thing they got wrong on me was the aerial view of my house - chose the wrong one didn't they  

Gadget

[exessexgirl]

Hello all.

Last year I was contacted by a gentleman through GR. During our conversations he told me that he had a lot of problems caused by a relative adding all his details onto their tree. As a result of this I now don't allow anyone access to view my tree. I make enquiries when contacted, and if their information corresponds with information I have, I then conduct information through emails. When I am asked for permission to view my tree, I just explain that I do not allow access. If their query isn't genuine, then there's no more contact.  Lyn

[Wendi]

It's not like you are giving out your bank details and passwords and home address.

It's as good as, downside ! the banks still cling to the "what's your mothers maiden name" - like it's something no one else will know 

Aside from the Data protection issues, if anyone is really interested in family history, they would make the links back through grandparents anyway so why is there a need to publish, your, or your parents names, which just makes it easier for anyone wanting to commit fraud.

[JustLooking]

I think the banks are a little more street wise now. They usually ask for last transaction or direct debits, etc. these days.

But we're all on various lists everywhere and we can only opt out of some of them, so.....

JL

[downside]

Hi Wendi

My bank(s) ask for PIN numbers (on line) in addition to details like my mothers maiden name.

If someone wants to commit fraud there are easier places, like public libraries (electoral roll).  A name appearing on a family tree could provide a name but as in the Day of the Jackal dead ones are even better than the living.

Cover up those gravestones now. 

If you are alive and I presume you are, is your name the first one you enter in a family tree?  I can understand and respect someone's wishes if they do not want to be included in a on line family tree, but getting back to the initial thread I do not think that was the case.  The person concerned merely had a Word document containing custard_pot's family details.


downside

[Wendi]

Yes you are right, custard_pot was just unnerved by the detail the person had obtained, which I guess just goes to show how much is available if you know where to look.

Dead is best, I'll remember that    from an occasionally alive Wendi

[Bill749]

If someone wants to commit fraud there are easier places, like public libraries (electoral roll).  

It should not be possible to obtain the electoral roll from your local library these days - you should only be able to consult it at your local council office, where they will want to know what your interest is.  The version sold to junk-mail advertisers is not complete.

Our local library has put a 30-year closure on them in line with data protection guidelines, but the official line is that only the current register is to be used and that all previous ones should be destroyed.  If libraries followed this advice then almost 300 years worth of the history of our ancestors would be lost for ever.

[sallysmum]

I wish I'd heeded some of this advice before I let a 'rellie' view my tree.  I still don't know if anything untoward has been done but it leaves me with an uneasy feeling.  'Rellie' contacted me thru a hot match - she thinks her great grandfather was my grandfather's brother.  Gives name of her g grandfather, her grandmother, her mother and finally herself.  Well I don't know them from Adam - an elusive family line so feel that maybe she can provide me with further info, I thinks.  

However she says her mother would dearly love to know more about her family.  Apologises for tardy contact but has a toddler to look after, husband's business needs attention and to top it all she is studying for a degree and decorating.  Naively I tell her all about my grandfather, give her access to my tree.  I get access to hers, only to find she is the only one listed in her tree.  She gives very little info about herself.  I tried to find her on the BMD and she does not appear to exist on  the birth year she gives.  When I reply to her email I get no reply.  I leave it several weeks, after all she says she is up to her eyeballs.  I dropped her an email just to ask her to confirm she received the info I gave her.  No reply so finally I withdraw her access to my tree.

This reply to this thread is one of genuine concern as to whether personal info has been gleaned for other purposes.  I maybe paranoid here but it really does worry me.  I hope I am wrong and 'rellie' has had an unfortunate series of events regarding her degree, husband's business, decorating and god forbid her little one.  This experience has left me too wise after the events.  I didn't check out her birth record until recently - this should have been searched for prior to my opening up my tree to her but in the throws of initial enthusiasm I genuinely thought that everyone was happy to share and was as eager as I was.
Sallysmum

[Sylviaann]

You should not give your pin number over the phone to anyone even the bank

You can opt out of having you name on an edited register of electors which I is the one sold to companies

My tree on GR is very basic.  It starts from my Grandparents.  I don't supply it straight away but usually do after a couple of e-mails if they are related

Sylviaann