How Does Our Personal Information Leak Online?? Why So Many Spam Calls?

JavaTheDog on 05/05/2017 - 17:56

Really confused and angry about spam calls I received.

For example, recently I got a call from fm-fx, some kinda financial company asking me whether I want to make money. I am so sure that I did not sign up anything from their website so I am so confused how do they have my phone number and my name. Ten minutes ago I got a call from "Select and Switch" saying that they could free compare elec bills for me. So I asked where they got my detail. They answered "public database". I am so annoyed with this kind of calls. How could I prevent them?

Internet

Comments

  • retiredfeline on 05/05/2017 - 18:08

    Some scammers have robocall machines that cycle through every number in a range because whole country towns have noticed that everybody get the same scam calls around the same day.

  • jelko on 05/05/2017 - 18:23
    +1

    Public database = phone book.

    If these are Australian companies calling you, then put yourself on the Do Not Call Register.
    https://www.donotcall.gov.au/

    Australian companies are not permitted to cold call you if you're on this site. If they do then they can be fined.

    • Diji1 on 05/05/2017 - 18:49
      +1

      Yeah but criminals gonna incriminate regardless.

      When Australian businesses break the law - which is all the time - no one goes to jail. They barely get fined. There's little incentive to stop spamming.

    • emibel19 on 05/05/2017 - 19:50

      The DNC register is only for telemarketing calls anyway, not scam calls. The latter are handled by the ACCC.

      https://www.donotcall.gov.au/consumers/faqs-for-consumers/

    • JavaTheDog on 05/05/2017 - 22:28

      Thanks. Just registered my number.

      • scrimshaw on 06/05/2017 - 01:03

        just note DNC register does not apply to charities. So charitable organisations looking for money will continue to call you (there's about 5 or 6 well known ones in Australia) and on the phone they will smugly tell you charities are exempt from it.

        You can however tell them you're not interested and not to call you again. It is against the law for them to continue calling after you explicitly said NO to any further correspondance.

        or just block their number. I have a list of about 8 numbers blocked so far.

        • johninmelb on 06/05/2017 - 12:52

          Trouble is, most of the time it is NOT the charity calling you, but a contracted agency.

          Apple Marketing are one of the worst. Not only telemarketing but the charity muggers on the streets as well.

          Every time I get a call from these people, I just save the number in my Caller ID as "scam", so I don't answer the phone when they call again.

  • Gronk on 05/05/2017 - 18:45

    There are a bunch of ways your details can be leaked, such as -

    1. Entering a competition
    2. Signing up to a dodgy website
    3. It was tucked away in the fine print of some form or document you signed
    4. You've inherited a phone number that used to belong to someone else

    You could try getting another landline number but that'll probably cost you money but outside that there's not a great deal you can do about it because most of the callers will be located outside Australia and couldn't give a flying stuff about the DNC register.

    • scrimshaw on 05/05/2017 - 20:12
      +1

      And also resumes that you upload online and tick the 'Public profile' checkbox on Seek.

      Sometimes you might apply for a job and the job advert might be a dummy / fake, and it's just collecting data.

      • peterpeterpumpkin on 05/05/2017 - 21:16

        This happened to me on Gumtree. Maybe 5 years ago. It's been downhill since.

      • JavaTheDog on 05/05/2017 - 22:27

        THIS EXPLAINS A LOT!!! I am finding jobs recently on SEEK. This is also the time I got so many weird calls.

  • chumlee on 05/05/2017 - 19:28
    +1

    I get calls to my mobile phone with a recording saying thank you when i answer so assume they are robo calling to test active numbers.

    I just give the phone to my 3 year when i get spam calls and they can talk to her

    • JavaTheDog on 05/05/2017 - 22:28

      LoL you are the real MVP.

  • resisting the urge on 05/05/2017 - 19:36

    Most of the time people leak the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) themselves by not realising what they are doing online, buying mobile telecommunications and other utility services, or simply entering what seems to be innocuous forms processed by someone they don't know at a company they don't think about using computers accessed by many people in so many ways, little of which is monitored or even understood. All of this is done (often by the MoP (Member of the Public) themselves, whilst using compromised sites with compromised browsers on compromised computers connected to compromised networks AS WELL as the Internet.

    None of this can be trusted, you can only protect yourself by understanding how your information will be sold and abused which means reading some Ts%Cs and actually getting what is going on, that your money is not enough anymore, they are making you the product and that your PII, family history, genetic code, and your children's everything,,, all this is valuable when it comes to manipulating and controlling (maxmimising ROIs) and when that doesn't work they'll know who they have to round up to send to the reprogramming facilities where everyone will learn about everything they've missed whilst consuming all the sweetness that is only now available to the well connected and well-off. The Internet was to bring equality, but it got misused by people, not to mention organised crime, governments, corporations and now all kinds of Artifical intelligence…

    Basically you're stuffed even if you clam up hard about your PII (when asked, just say 'No'!) and/or disconnect and go bush. For most there is little time to take care of what is around us before it's all gone.

    • JavaTheDog on 05/05/2017 - 22:29

      I have already gotten so many scam emails. Luckily Gmail have done a lot of work for me. But phones are annoying.

      • resisting the urge on 06/05/2017 - 21:54

        Google blocks the spammers but sells your footprint to anyone with the money and even gives it away to others.

        Ideally one blocks Google services wherever you can, ideally in and out at the border gateway.

  • JavaTheDog on 05/05/2017 - 22:26

    Thanks so much guys. I have registered myself on Do Not Call. Hope this could work. Next time when I got a call asked if I am XXX, I will ask back first then decide if I was me. Thanks again.

  • katekate1 on 15/05/2017 - 20:49

    Honestly, Putting your mobile Phone numbers on social media and not putting up privacy may cause your information public.

  • katekate1 on 17/05/2017 - 17:40

    Hi. today i researched about the leak online information and let me say its very dangerous.

    following actions will protect your online identity

    1. Never click on a link you did not expect to receive: Phishing emails will allow you to reply them and give away all your info.
    2. Use anti-virus software: Anti virus will detect the viruses.
    3. Use a VPN: Virtual Private Networks allow you to stay anonymous online. Even your Internet service provider will not know your online activities and hackers cant track you back.
    4. If in doubt, block: Unsure of the website and social account, kindly block.
    5. Be wary of public Wi-Fi: These free wifi will send a serious virus to your device and hack your information.

    I hope you realize how important your information and follow these general steps to stay protected online.

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