Really Long But Very Important!!! Safety At Risk!!

Lounge By amwake Updated 24 Feb 2007 , 12:41am by nglez09

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amwake Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:02pm
post #1 of 13

Typing Telephone Numbers Into Google.com Can Return Maps to the Number's Address-Truth!

I received an e-mail today that is really scary. I didn't believe it was true so I tried it and then went to truthorfiction.com to see what they had about it and apparently it is completely true. This is scary to me and I don't live alone. I hope everyone here reads this so they have an idea of how unsafe our families really are!

Message that was originally sent by an ATF guy:

"There is a new feature that makes it possible to type a telephone
number
into Google's search bar, click the search button, and have a MapQuest
page
returned as a result. Any person wishing to discover the physical
location
of a phone number, be it a home or business address, could use this
feature
to locate a physical street address,and receive explicit directions on
how
to get there from anywhere in the country.

One positive use of this feature could be to determine the location
of,
say, an adverse party for whom you may only have a telephone number. On
a
negative note, this feature could also be used by an angry party to
find out
where you live.

Google has made available an option that will allow anyone to remove
their
telephone number from the database that is linked to the mapping
feature.
You will first need to check if your number is listed in this manner
by
attempting a search - entering your full telephone number separated by
dashes (e.g., 404-524-5811). If the number appears in the mapping
database,
an icon resembling a telephone will appear next to the first or second
entry
on the results page. Clicking on this icon will take you to a page
containing a description of the service, and a link to request your
number
be removed from the database."

12 replies
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cinderspritzer Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:09pm
post #2 of 13

i've seen that before. it's a hoax that generally pulls up pornography. the telephone companies are legally binded not to let that kind of stuff happen.

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JoAnnB Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:09pm
post #3 of 13

It is based on a telephone listing. Anyone can already do this.

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nglez09 Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:11pm
post #4 of 13

What if your telephone number isn't listed, JoanneB?

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amwake Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:12pm
post #5 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by cinderspritzer

i've seen that before. it's a hoax that generally pulls up pornography. the telephone companies are legally binded not to let that kind of stuff happen.





Unfortunately this is not a hoax. It is something that is really going on. With the new maps you can now actually see the house. I can tell you that when the photos for these maps were taken, my neighbor was mowing his yard.

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cinderspritzer Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:13pm
post #6 of 13

well, if google does that, google can get sued. big time. it's against the constitutional rights of privacy. my dh is a lawyer. if they're allowing mapping features to find addresses via phone number, it's highly illegal. go remove your numbers. now.

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amwake Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:16pm
post #7 of 13

My suggestion is that if you don't believe it, or if you want to know if your number is one that pulls up a map google it. I don't remeber how to do the print screen or I would show it to you.

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leily Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:18pm
post #8 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by cinderspritzer

well, if google does that, google can get sued. big time. it's against the constitutional rights of privacy. my dh is a lawyer. if they're allowing mapping features to find addresses via phone number, it's highly illegal. go remove your numbers. now.




It isn't any different than going to a phone book and finding an address listed with the phone number. A lot of phone books do this unless you ask or pay them not to put that info in there.

This is one more reason we only have cell phones. As long as the bill doesn't go through to publish those too. Then we are all in trouble.

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amwake Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:20pm
post #9 of 13

Unfortunately, apparently these are not only the listed numbers. I just tried my sisters number which is unlisted and hers shows up, along with the map.

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leily Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:29pm
post #10 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by amwake

Unfortunately, apparently these are not only the listed numbers. I just tried my sisters number which is unlisted and hers shows up, along with the map.




hmm did not know that one.. I don't know anyone with an unlisted number to try that one.

You can also go to whitepages.com and do a reverse phone number. It will give you the person it is registered to and the address. Then you can take that address anywhere to find a map.

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m0use Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:47pm
post #11 of 13

Well, cell phone numbers shouldn't pull anything up. I just did my number and it didn't pull up the map. (There is currently no published directories of cell phone numbers.)
It did pull up the posting on the internet for our WI DOS that I have on this site: http://www.americancakedecorating.com/eventpage.htm

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indydebi Posted 23 Feb 2007 , 10:47pm
post #12 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoAnnB

It is based on a telephone listing. Anyone can already do this.




I don't understand why people get so upset over this. This capability has been around LONG before the internet! Reverse number telephone books have been in existance for years. How do you think bill collectors find out where the dead beats are living? I used to sell life insurance and when I'd get a new territory in a small town, I'd just to the local Chamber of Commerce to get a map of their town. It would direct me straight to the person's address.

Rand McNAlly has been printing detailed maps of larger towns for years. I have one for the city of Indpls and I can find any address in the Rand McNAlly book (When you're driving around selling life insurance, you don't always have the internet in your car!).

So what's the big scoop here? Anyone has always had the capability to "find" you.

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nglez09 Posted 24 Feb 2007 , 12:41am
post #13 of 13

Well I went to Google maps and typed in my number and nothing came up. I guess it's only for those people whose numbers are listed.

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