those web sites where you can search information about people

i'm less chagrined than just curious.

Scary if employers start using them as standard procedure. Everyone will be forced to live a squeaky clean life.

what sort of people start companies like this?

(looks on intelius web site...)

hm. former microsoft execs and engineers.

are these the same kind of people who found credit-check companies and pyramid schemes?

here's an example of the kind of information they have.

since when is it legal to make a profit buying and selling public records????

I doubt there's any record of me beyond an address and some debt, but that doesn't make these kinds of things any less creepy; I try my best not to think about them at all. Although this one has maybe educated me to the existence of one other person in the country with my name. Either that or someone's stolen my identity, I guess.

Nope, no dice, I'm deeply creeped again. Imagine the amount of revealing public record that'll surround you by the time you reach middle age!

i only showed up on these things in october; i suspect it was because i was listed as a reference for a friend seeking employment at a government agency. they probably have my address. i haven't done anything bad to actually make me worried about this, but i still find it exceptionally creepy.

It is very creepy, great stalking material if there was someone obsessed with you or out to get you.

Creepy! My sister is listed and she's only been living in America for two years.

This is really freaky. I just looked myself up, and there are at least two other people out there with the same age and name (although different middle initials mostly) as I have. I don't know why exactly--maybe because they're all the same age as me! and have overlapping times spent in the same states!--but this is so creepy.

Mark has just very reasonably pointed out to me that I shouldn't be surprised when other people have the same name as me. I suppose because I have a fairly uncommon surname (and of people in the US with that surname, all can be traced back to the same family) I feel kind of proprietary. Yeesh. I can't shake the creepy feeling though. And the info. is pricey to buy!

At the same time as I hope no one looks me up this way, I have already thought of at least one person I would (and just have) looked up on there (but not paid to know more about). So now I am complicit in the creepiness, ugh.

I just found out how old one of my managers was for free! I knew that it was about time he retired...

Imagine what the FBI has on you.

Let me clarify that. I've heard (2nd hand hearsay means nothing, I know) that the FBI is likely to have more knowledge on you than you might imagine, even if you are a harmless 9-to-5 regular, non-threatening sort.

BTW, what's up with that Echelon thing? Think it's overloaded yet?

haha my approx age is 57! i'm the same age as my mom!
also, mofos don't have the space between the 2 parts of my last name, which made it come back with no results at first

umm i just searched for myself and my father came up with me in the same boxy thingy as to say "here is his father!"

supposedly you can send an email and opt out of zabasearch. but they hide the place where you can send your email. it's (i've added Xs so it's not back trackable -- just remove the Xs OK?):

http://Xzabasearch.Xcom/Xthankyou.Xphp

some more info here:

http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~zabas/

who knows if they even honor requests to remove info. they'll probably just start spamming you. so use a one-time-only address! (the guy whose home page is linked to just above recommends this as well).

and.... this is bullshit.

here's the email i got in response to my request:

We received your request. The following is the fastest way to create, edit or delete your records in ZabaSearch. ZabaTools allow you to take control of the information available about you or to manage how you allow others to communicate with you. You can create, edit, delete your record or add a ZabaLink all for free.

Why create a record? If you don't exist in ZabaSearch and would like to be included.

Why edit a record? If you are in ZabaSearch, but would like to update your information. Or, add your e-mail address or your web site URL to your record.

Why delete a record?** If you want to remove your address and/or telephone number

Add a free ZabaLink! Instead of deleting a record, consider replacing your address and/or telephone number with a ZabaLink*.

**If someone finds and clicks your ZabaLink (placed where your address or telephone number was), they will come to an e-mail form that will allow them to send a message to you without knowing your e-mail address, where you are, or if you ever even received the message. You can either respond, ignore, or send back a non-delivery notice. ZabaLinks empower you to control how people can communicate with you on the Internet. You can be found, only if you want to be on a person by person basis. And, ZabaLinks are free!

In order to create, edit, delete your record and/or to add a ZabaLink, all for free, you must make that request in writing and mail it to: ZabaTools, PO Box 45210 Omaha, NE 68145. Receiving requests by mail allows us to verify and process requests quickly. Records created, edited and ZabaLinks added may take up to several weeks to appear in ZabaSearch. Records requested to be deleted are typically processed the next business day after receiving the request. You will be notified by e-mail when you request enters our system and then once more when the requested records have been adjusted. Please specify if you want to create, edit, delete a record and/or add a free ZabaLink, e-mail address or url to your record. If you add a free ZabaLink, please include the e-mail address where you would like messages blindly forwarded to from your ZabaLink.

In order to fill your request your letter must contain the following information to insure we create, edit or delete the correct records. After you confirm by e-mail that we processed your request, your letter and the information you provided in it will be shredded. You will have created a record for yourself just as you like it and will be eventually given online tools to adjust your information as you like live in ZabaSearch 24/7.

1. E-mail address
2. Full name including middle initial
3. Address of the record you wish to create, edit or delete
4. Phone number you wish to have removed
5. Year of birth.
6. Specify if you are requesting to create, edit or delete a record or if you want to add a ZabaLink or URL to your
record.
7. Sign and date your request

I don't show up! Hooray!

ok, i'm going to stop worrying about this, i can feel myself becoming a paranoid schizo....

Damn, Amateur(ist)! I never knew that you wore a cock ring. Thanks ZabaSearch!

There seems to be an entire family of Hitler's in Wisconsin

About two days after Zabasearch got mentioned in the media here someone called asking for me and then almost immeadiately hung up. It sounded like the voice of this mentally ill friend I haven't seen in about 10 years.