Do you think that people let their guard down here on YA seniors?

Question

because we are comfortable with one another, and maybe give a little too much information about ourselves? There is a criminal element among us in society.

Answer 1

It's a risk opening up your life on the Internet. But I choose to take that risk because I enjoy it here. I let my guard down as far as I safely feel I can.

You don't have my phone number or address. Only a few of YA people have my home email address. No one knows my social security number, banking or credit cards (except PayPal). You don't even know what I really look like.

You know that I have feelings, problems, make mistakes, have happy things to share, ask for advice, share my silly side. Yes, you know a lot about me, but you don't know all. I refuse to let the criminals suffocate my freedom any more that I already have.

Answer 2

I can't determine that for you because not everyone gets to meet "the one" in college (there's no one way answer for this because some meet their partner at a bar, library, grocery store, and even online dating sites). You can meet your future partner anywhere without you really expecting it to happen. I can sort of relate to you with the whole keeping things to yourself because you don't want people in your business since that can lead to drama and gossip. I would give you one small advice though, if you want to hang out with people instead of by yourself sometimes just call someone and say "hey let's wanna hang out and do blah blah for the day or on the weekends for fun"? I'm sure that person will say yes to you since they also might not be doing anything interesting for the day. Sometimes you can't sit there hoping for someone to come to you, it has to be you who does it and then see if the person follows back. Once you see a good enough result then you can make it 50/50 where both you and that future partner/friend take turns in communicating with each other. That's how it worked for me with how I made some of my friends, and at times I had the reverse happen to.

Answer 3

Well, no matter how many millions are sitting in a bank account in Nigeria, no matter what European Lottery I have won, I do not give out my bank account numbers, my credit card pin or statement numbers. All other info is easily found by anyone on the net who is willing to pay 39.95 for the information.. so ... no, I don't believe what we do here is going to lead to identity theft. IF someone wants to use our vulnerable feelings to their advantage, I say to them, try it! I suspect that under all this "warm fuzzy feelings" lies hearts of steel if put to the wall. WE have all been around long enough to know what end is up, who is pulling some wool here and there. IN the end, it pays to check your Visa/MasterCard/Discovery/AmEx statements daily, your bank account daily ... all on line. IF someone is playing games, it is quickly caught and charges are reversed immediately...this is just part of being blessed with the "total information age." There are few secrets in life anymore. Personally, if someone is that interested in all the ins and outs of my life, they must be truly bored to tears!
IF we throw up road blocks to saying what we feel about this and that, the site becomes useless. I haven't really seen anything stated here that would lead me to think anything but the best in others (well, usually...some times I think less than the best of a few), and I think I can safely continue to be just me, the lunatic Goldwing who always writes too much, says too little. Love and peace, Phil
Was just informed that a very well known Troll, T a r a J visited...this troll dates back to more than 1 1/2 years, has had at least 150 incarnations here...I am a particular target of this troll, and what can I say...it is a guy, working out of Canada, a pipe puller, who has no life but to work and go to his computer and cause as much damage as he can. He has managed to get many good people banned in YA! Any time you see this name, regardless of what is written, report it! Thanks, all, just letting you know what goes on here. Phil

Answer 4

To some extend we do let our guard down, but people also let you know what they want you to know. Some of it's real, some of it's not. If someone wants to find information on another, it's just a click away with today's technology.

Of course, there are scams out there and those ready to take advantage of folks regardless of their age. Most know there is certain information you never share with anyone. I'm not some helpless, naive, unthinking, person of a certain age and refuse to be classified as such. I'm cautious and have common sense, but I will not let fear take away something I enjoy.

Answer 5

I think you are right. People need to be more careful about how much info they put on the internet about themselves.

Just recently there was a article on TV about someone who opened a credit card with info he got from the 'myspace' site. It was just an experiment to show that it could be done so good thing he wasnt a crook but others most certainly will be!!

Answer 6

I don't think so...and we remain here because we are comfortable with each other. If someone comes in to do harm, we've all been, 'around the block' in life and just because we're over ...hmmmm let's say 50...lol...doesn't make us stupid. I personally have been in the chat world for over ...(evasion tactics here....) since it pretty much started and had nothing bad financially has happen to me connected with folks online. Maybe I'm lucky, maybe they find there is nothing to con me for or maybe I'm just not an alarmist. A little common sense goes a long way! I hope we all use it!

Answer 7

I have thought about this and think anybody with the patience and the time could build up a profile of myself and others from what I see on Y/A which might be of use to criminals, without being paranoid we should all only give general facts about our selves, and avoid personal details like the plague.

Answer 8

I received a phone call a few days ago from a woman wanting to help me with money missing from my bank account. I asked her what bank and of course she couldn't tell me. She just said money was stolen from my account within the past 20 months. Since I know where every hard earned dollar that I have is, I told her no thanks and hung up. I checked the caller i.d. and looked up the number on reverse white pages and it was a land number. I regret now that I did not report it.
I have read about scams like this but this was a first for me.
So yes, we all have to be cautious about what we say.

Answer 9

Absolutely. There is a physiological profile and a trail of information being left behind by each and everyone of us if we are not careful. Some information is fine to share, but care should be exercised as to what info and how much should be sent. We all like our privacy, but who is behind the curtains?

Answer 10

I have let my guard down by telling that I am divorced with no children, my Mother committed suicide. I wonder what the criminal element will do about that.