Is Big Brother in your pocket?

[rb336]

this is, well, you decide:

http://tinyurl.com/ylmcq7f

[elganned]

Only the tip of the iceberg. Big Brother is in your pocket--and Big Business, and Big Crime.
And the more dependent we become on hi-tech gadgets to handle our daily affairs, the more vulnerable we will become.

That's why I'm a Luddite. I have the most basic of phones--no uplink, no video, no camera, no extra bells and whistles. And I wouldn't even have that if my wife didn't insist. I got by famously in the era when there was a single telephone per home [[and a single car per family, though that's tougher to do nowadays), and I don't see the need for all these gizmos.

[gazhekwe]

Yikes! I have an older no frills phone. All I do with it is make and take calls. I think I will stick with this phone and not upgrade to a tattletale.

[oladub]

The kids make fun of my phone. It might still be for sale in Central America though. It doesn't even work well at home and not at all in Florida where the humidity always kills it in about two days.

I do wonder about the stuff GM put into the rear view mirror of my 08 vehicle which I never used. I've read that it could be used to listen to conversations or track my whereabouts. If it has a GPS funtion, the day is coming when speeding tickets can be automatically generated to our mailing addresses every time we exceed a speed limit. That should help balance some local government budgets.

[exdetroiter]

I'm not surprised.

[ccbatson]

Agreed, it is there..and likely in your car if it is newer. Criminal access is bad, however, government, whom we have given the authority to use force, is far more potentially dangerous.

[Zacha341]

Yes, Big Brother is in your pockets but this time with smile. Your told that this time you'll get a couple hundred ala redistribution of the wealth from those mean rich people. Only problem is the "rich" definition ala annual income keeps getting lower and lower... soon coming your way! But after all 33% of your check to taxes is cool... afterall the government can do a better job of distilling it back to you at say around a $600.00 stimulus check. If you're eligible. You many not be......... or eventually you will be. Hmmmnnn....

[Meddle]

Yikes! I have an older no frills phone. All I do with it is make and take calls. I think I will stick with this phone and not upgrade to a tattletale.

If it would still work on the new systems, I'd still be using my Nokia 3Watt bag phone with a wired handset. Better power, better signal, no frills. But it's analog, so, no go on the new digital systems.


You all do have GPS location turned off in your cell phones, right? It can be set to "On", or "911 Only", which is how I have mine set.

[gazhekwe]

On the other hand, I remember that poor family in California that got lost in the mountains after having mistakenly taken a seasonal road, they got snowed in. They were found because someone was able to track a weak signal from their cellphone. The man had tried to walk out for help and was later found dead, but the woman and their two kids were still with the car.

[Lorax]

The scariest thing I've heard as of late with regard to technology really having an effect on our money and daily life is how criminals only need a hand-held device to sit outside retail stores in their cars, and can upload credit card information from people inside swiping their cards through the machine.

This is happening at gas pumps, and at ATM machines.

This was a big story last year when millions of credit cards were compromised. It still is happening, but the corporate run media has opted NOT to report on it anymore, since the problems are so deep, there really is no such thing as protection anymore.

The effect it's had on bogus credit reporting can't be undersestimated. I personally know several people who have had their good credit ruined through this practice. Toss in the fraud being committed by those who are there to protect your credit information, i.e. bank employees, retail employees, etc., and you have a toxic mix of complete vulnerability.

Frankly, if you can pay cash, do it. We need to wean ourselves off of credit, period.

[ccbatson]

It is not that simple Lorax..security and encryption prohibit simple pirating as you describe it.

[Lorax]

It is not that simple Lorax..security and encryption prohibit simple pirating as you describe it.

Sorry, wrong yet again, Batts.

From About.com:
41 Million Credit and Debit Card Numbers Stolen

Thursday August 7, 2008
Eleven people were recently indicted on multiple charges of fraud and identity theft after stealing more than 41 million credit and debit card numbers, according to Associated Press. The 11 who stole the credit and debt information by hacking into the wireless networks of some of the nation's largest retailers.

Among the victimized retailers were Office Max, Barnes and Noble, Forever 21, and DSW.

After the credit card information was stolen it was either sold or encrypted onto credit cards and used to make purchases and withdraw money from ATMs.
Of those charged, three were Americans and one was a U.S. Secret Service informant.

While the reports don't reveal how consumers can know if they were affected, there are ways you can find out. Start by checking your credit card and checking account billing statements, especially if you shopped in any of the stored mentioned. If notice charges you didn't make dispute them with your creditor.

Since the theft involved stolen credit and debt card numbers, it's unlikely that your identity was abused, but it doesn't hurt to check. Free credit reports are available through annualcreditreport.com. 10 Ways to Prevent, Detect, and Fight Identity Theft lists other ways you can find out if your identity has been stolen and tells you what steps to take if you've been a victim.

http://news.cnet.com/Google-queries-...3-5295661.html

http://www.askmrcreditcard.com/credi...aders-exposed/

This final link explains how a "sniffer" program is used by thieves, stationed outside retailers. Apparently it's easer to capture this info than people previously thought.

Batts, your constant assumption that I'm the one speaking out of my ass just turns it around on you as your problem with projection.

[ccbatson]

Sigh...are you working against yourself Lorax...where were the numbers stolen from ACCORDING TO YOUR REFERENCE?...not gas pumps and ATMS as you originally alleged.