# You never know who's tracking you online



## alloy (Aug 19, 2020)

I logged into my USPS account yesterday and this was on top of the page.

I guess the post office is trying anything to make money now days.


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## SLK001 (Aug 19, 2020)

Nowadays, you have to assume that _everyone _you deal with has some kind of track tacked onto your butt.


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## Cadillac (Aug 19, 2020)

Had a conversation with the wife about a new bed purchase. Said we needed to go look for a new bed and were planning a day to go. Later all the advertisements on her phone were bed sales and places that sold so. I thought that was pretty creepy and wrong! Yes they are listening.
   I’ve had two separate friends tell me about people who have called them saying they had video of them doing embarrassing Things on their iPhone through the self camera. Wanted a ransom or else They would post video to social media. Both friends told them to pound sand and now they have tape over the self cam on phone. Another reason why I think technology is killing us.


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## Janderso (Aug 19, 2020)

We have the Alexa device in my shop and the house.
I talk about, I sure could use a set of big brass balls. I'm watching for a coupon from Amazon for a set of brass balls 
Big Brother is watching and listening.


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## C-Bag (Aug 19, 2020)

It’s beyond creepy and scary. its why I started using a VPN, especially on my phone. The more you know the creepier it gets. The tech giants are making billions selling your info.


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## Flyinfool (Aug 19, 2020)

Cadillac said:


> Had a conversation with the wife about a new bed purchase. Said we needed to go look for a new bed and were planning a day to go. Later all the advertisements on her phone were bed sales and places that sold so. I thought that was pretty creepy and wrong! Yes they are listening.
> I’ve had two separate friends tell me about people who have called them saying they had video of them doing embarrassing Things on their iPhone through the self camera. Wanted a ransom or else They would post video to social media. Both friends told them to pound sand and now they have tape over the self cam on phone. Another reason why I think technology is killing us.



This one is a pure scam, I have also received it a number of times, I have an old XP laptop from 2001 that does not even have a camera. So I wonder how they hacked it????

They just send out the emails knowing most people do have a camera today and if they get one hit from someone that does not know better, in 100,000 emails sent (they send out emails by the millions) it was a good and profitable week.


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## C-Bag (Aug 19, 2020)

Cadillac said:


> Had a conversation with the wife about a new bed purchase. Said we needed to go look for a new bed and were planning a day to go. Later all the advertisements on her phone were bed sales and places that sold so. I thought that was pretty creepy and wrong! Yes they are listening.
> I’ve had two separate friends tell me about people who have called them saying they had video of them doing embarrassing Things on their iPhone through the self camera. Wanted a ransom or else They would post video to social media. Both friends told them to pound sand and now they have tape over the self cam on phone. Another reason why I think technology is killing us.


It’s also why I do no social media, no Facebook, no Twitter, no nuthin. Ever listened to the guys who used to be on the inside of those tech co’s? The way they get attention is by fomenting outrage. No wonder mental illnesses is through the roof.


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## Flyinfool (Aug 19, 2020)

Just had to go thru the MILs phone. her problem was that every time she took a picture it went straight to her facebook page. and all of the pics that were on her phone were now gone from the phone and showed up on her facebook page.
While I was cleaning it up I found that facebook states in the app that it is their policy to ALWAYS be listening to AND recording everything the mic hears. They claim it is just so that they can improve the speech recognition. They also state that they will monitor and record everything that ANY of the phones cameras can see. It also gave itself full administrative access to everything in the phone.. She said she needs facebook because that is the only way she can get pics of her grandkids or I would have removed it entirely.
I was able to kill all of the permissions and get her pics off of facebook and back into her phone. Next time I am there I will check to see if facebook was able to regain full control or not.


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## C-Bag (Aug 19, 2020)

I have no FB and my son sends me pic and vids of my g-kids through regular email all the time. There is no winning with FB, and youre up against their AI. AI is not somewhere in the future it’s here now and that’s what big tech uses to harvest your info and tailors your net feed. News, ads, etc.


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## atunguyd (Aug 19, 2020)

Cadillac said:


> .
> I’ve had two separate friends tell me about people who have called them saying they had video of them doing embarrassing Things on their iPhone through the self camera. Wanted a ransom or else They would post video to social media. Both friends told them to pound sand and now they have tape over the self cam on phone.



I love talking to people about this scam. Everyone starts giving me reasons why they know it is a scam and must things like "the email address is fake" or "I know they couldn't hack my camera like that" or "I use a VPN" etc... 

The look on their face is priceless when I just say "yes I got the same email. I know it is fake because I know I don't do that to myself in front of my computer or phone " 



Sent from my SM-N975F using Tapatalk


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## Janderso (Aug 19, 2020)

C-Bag said:


> It’s also why I do no social media, no Facebook, no Twitter, no nuthin


Amen brother. Me either.


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## C-Bag (Aug 19, 2020)

Janderso said:


> Amen brother. Me either.


Good for you Jeff. It has become so hard to get along without them. But think about it, how is FB and Zuckerberg worth billions when its supposedly free? That never made sense to me.


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## Nutfarmer (Aug 19, 2020)

I friend of mine is a private investigator for a couple of attorneys. He says face book is one of his best sources of information. Just saying.


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## Janderso (Aug 19, 2020)

Steve,
You said it. There is so much personal information on a social site.


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## matthewsx (Aug 19, 2020)

C-Bag said:


> It’s also why I do no social media, no Facebook, no Twitter, no nuthin. Ever listened to the guys who used to be on the inside of those tech co’s? The way they get attention is by fomenting outrage. No wonder mental illnesses is through the roof.



THIS is my Social Media. I've worked developer conferences for FBook, Amzon, and SnaCh. They have a business plan that's not about being good to you. You're not a customer, you're a product....

Now for an easy tip.

Use three different browsers. Me, I use Firefox for general browsing and have it set to delete all cookies every time it restarts, I use Chrome for accounts I have passwords on and don't want to put in all my information every time I login, like to my email, and I use Opera with it's built in VPN for super secret squirrel stuff (in private mode of course).

If you really want to be paranoid start looking into facial recognition technology and the companies that use it. 









						Rite Aid deployed facial recognition system in hundreds of U.S. stores
					

Rite Aid used facial recognition in largely lower-income, non-white neighborhoods. The systems included one from a firm with links to China and its government




					www.reuters.com
				




John


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## Bi11Hudson (Aug 20, 2020)

Amen, Amen, Amen. . .  Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me. . .

I don't even trust my bank(s) with private information and change my password regularly. Have the camera and mic and some other stuff all turned off in my computer. Got electrical tape over the camera lens, disconnected the mic, and do a "sweep" several times a week. Take the battery out of my cell phone except when I'm actually having a conversation or charging the battery. Take it to the extremes, I'm *just paranoid* about any and every thing involving technology. And don't mind admitting it.

I worked with computers before the days of the IBM PC-XT. Well, before the '286 anyway. And read(and read), avidly, science fiction. Saw this mess coming years ago, when bank cards first started up. Put most of my assets into metals and property. Now that I'm retired (disabled) I *don't have a lot of money, but I don't have any debts* either. So it all balances out.

Quote: _If you really want to be paranoid start looking into facial recognition technology and the companies that use it. _

That's one of many reasons I grew a heavy beard and mustasche. Anything further delves into my political leanings so I'll have to back out.

.


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## C-Bag (Aug 20, 2020)

matthewsx said:


> THIS is my Social Media. I've worked developer conferences for FBook, Amzon, and SnaCh. They have a business plan that's not about being good to you. You're not a customer, you're a product....
> 
> Now for an easy tip.
> 
> ...


I agree, this and one other forum is my social media. 10yrs ago I was listening to a radio program with a guy who was talking about the tracking going on and had a program that would show you all the things you picked up in this spider web representation and it scared me so bad. That when I shifted to DuckDuckGo as my browser. Way cleaner.


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## mickri (Aug 20, 2020)

No social media for me.  I mostly use duckduckgo for internet searches.  I also use Yippy and occasionally use google for searches.  I have privacy badger which blocks all tracking cookies and ads.  My cell phone is a dumb phone.  No text. No internet connection. No gps.  I refuse to buy anything on Amazon.  After living on my sailboat for almost 11 years I got used to no TV.  Never watched TV much before that anyway.  So no TV in my house.  Virtually no radio reception where I live.  My house is quiet and peaceful.   I like it that way.


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## Z2V (Aug 20, 2020)

Subject: Google Pizza

        CALLER: Is this Gordon's Pizza? 

        GOOGLE: No sir, it's Google Pizza. 

        CALLER: I must have dialed a wrong number. Sorry. 

        GOOGLE: No sir, Google bought Gordon’s Pizza last month. 

        CALLER: OK.. I would like to order a pizza. 

        GOOGLE: Do you want your usual, sir?

        CALLER: My usual? You know me? 

        GOOGLE: According to our caller ID data sheet, the last 12 times you called you ordered an extra-large pizza with three cheeses, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and meatballs on a thick crust. 

        CALLER: OK! That’s what I want. 

        GOOGLE: May I suggest that this time you order a pizza with ricotta, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and olives on a whole wheat gluten free thin crust?

        CALLER: What? I detest vegetables.

        GOOGLE: Your cholesterol is not good, sir.

        CALLER: How the hell do you know? 

        GOOGLE: Well, we cross-referenced your home phone number with your medical records. We have the results of your blood tests for the last 7 years. 

        CALLER: Okay, but I do not want your rotten vegetable pizza!  I already take medication for my cholesterol.

        GOOGLE: Excuse me sir, but you have not taken your medication regularly. According to our database, you only purchased a box of 30 cholesterol tablets once, at Drug RX Network, 4 months ago. 

        CALLER: I bought more from another drugstore. 

        GOOGLE: That doesn’t show on your credit card statement. 

        CALLER: I paid in cash. 

        GOOGLE: But, you did not withdraw enough cash according to your bank statement. 

        CALLER: I have other sources of cash. 

        GOOGLE: That doesn’t show on your last tax return unless you bought them using an undeclared income source, which is against the law.

        CALLER: WHAT THE HELL? 

        GOOGLE: I'm sorry, sir, we use such information only with the sole intention of helping you.

        CALLER: Enough already! I'm sick to death of Google, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and all the others. I'm going to an island without internet, cable TV, where there is no cell phone service and no one to watch me or spy on me.

         GOOGLE: I understand sir, but you need to renew your passport first.  It expired 6 weeks ago…


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## DavidR8 (Aug 20, 2020)

matthewsx said:


> THIS is my Social Media. I've worked developer conferences for FBook, Amzon, and SnaCh. They have a business plan that's not about being good to you. You're not a customer, you're a product....
> 
> Now for an easy tip.
> 
> ...



Interesting. 
My use of Firefox and Chrome are flipped from yours. 
I trust Mozilla more than I trust Google. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## fernballan (Aug 20, 2020)

I was at a store shopping. The woman who took payment. I have never met She was beautiful but I do not know who she is.
When I come home and check Facebook, she comes up as a friend suggestion.
I paid by card. Scary!!


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## kb58 (Aug 20, 2020)

Flyinfool said:


> This one is a pure scam, I have also received it a number of times, I have an old XP laptop from 2001 that does not even have a camera. So I wonder how they hacked it????
> 
> They just send out the emails knowing most people do have a camera today and if they get one hit from someone that does not know better, in 100,000 emails sent (they send out emails by the millions) it was a good and profitable week.


Exactly. I received an email similar to this saying in effect "We know that you've been visiting naughty sites, and we're going to [do whatever] if you don't pay us." Uh huh.


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## alloy (Aug 20, 2020)

Gotta love yahoo email also.  I'm using firefox.

Got an email from a customer and sent him a reply, and this ad instantly appeared above my outbox.  Apparently my private email was shared with ebay.


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## matthewsx (Aug 20, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> Interesting.
> My use of Firefox and Chrome are flipped from yours.
> I trust Mozilla more than I trust Google.
> 
> ...


It doesn’t really matter, it’s the process of only using each for specific tasks. Kinda like you can drill a hole with many different machines but if you have one setup that works use that one.

I was doing work for a client on google drive so I decided to use that one for holding credentials on.

I like Mozilla though. When I started at Apple in 1995 I loaded their web browser and looked at pretty much the entire World Wide Web one afternoon  

John


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## GunsOfNavarone (Aug 20, 2020)

yeah....search your computer for savings.cool you'll play hell to get it off your computer but its at the very crux of most this stuff. I don't mind having suggestions available to me if there is going to be random ads, but freedoms/privacy...you know. Spyhunter is the ONLY way I found to get rid of it. 9 out of 10 malware removers won't find it or cant remove it, that pisses me off.


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## erikmannie (Aug 21, 2020)

The funny thing is that Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. are often abused in that users get hung up on seeking attention for themselves, sometimes to the point of narcissism. With the AI and privacy functions, they get the attention all right!

I have no idea why people would spend their time on these sites, but to each their own.


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## matthewsx (Aug 21, 2020)

I hate to point this out but these companies employ psychological experts who make their products just as addicting as the worst substances out there. 

They need to be regulated as such, anyone who can generate BILLIONS of dollars by just letting people flap their jaws isn't operating in the best interest of our society and, truly doesn't deserve to benefit from the structures, and protections we created to support companies that employed all those workers who produced the "old iron" we appreciate so much and all the stuff made with it.

Not understanding something isn't an excuse for ignoring it if you're in a position of protecting the people you represent.

I know this is verging on politics but people fought and died so that we could live in the free countries we enjoy, we should all expect that any company benefiting from that structure should be regulated in such a way that it actually makes our lives better. The GDPR is a start but there is much more work to be done.

John


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