Just a thought

[mrstay]

In the world we live in today we have to be so much more careful than in years past. Being a victim of identity theft I am sometimes more careful than others may think to be. I see that so many of you make it public knowledge when you will be on your cruises, meaning the exact cruise dates. The thought came across my mind of ones being able to use that information for home burglarly. Like I said, this is just a thought. Trust me, we cruisers are possibly not the only ones lurking on these pages. If I were a home invader and I saw the dates you were going to be gone and your home city is listed and you use your real name as your user ID, BINGO.

 

Like I said, just something to think about. No blasting needed. Just a concerned "citizen".

[Voyager]

In the world we live in today we have to be so much more careful than in years past. Being a victim of identity theft I am sometimes more careful than others may think to be. I see that so many of you make it public knowledge when you will be on your cruises, meaning the exact cruise dates. The thought came across my mind of ones being able to use that information for home burglarly. Like I said, this is just a thought. Trust me, we cruisers are possibly not the only ones lurking on these pages. If I were a home invader and I saw the dates you were going to be gone and your home city is listed and you use your real name as your user ID, BINGO.

 

Like I said, just something to think about. No blasting needed. Just a concerned "citizen".

 

 

Although I agree, I have never been a victom of IT. What else amazes me is the people that post thier real names and Cabin numbers on roll calls. I wouldnt do that either. "We are Bill and Susie Smith going on the ________ for the week of the ________ in cabin ________ we have late seating.

 

This could translate to; We will be out of our cabin during these times feel free to go to the pursers desk and let them know your us, and you lost the key to your cabin.............

[wingnutphl]

Never thought of that. But I never use my real name as my user name ever!! That way when I get an email that says "Hi wingnut" I know it's just junk and delete it. There are so many ways people can have their identity stolen. That's why I'm glad my husband left me bankrupt. I know no one can open a CC with the bankruptcy on my credit report!! ;)

[Puffinater]

I agree 100% that is why I make every attempt to not publicly display any personal information. Always use an alias, never a real name.

[Jamrenjer]

I've thought of that-- Some people give way too much info.-- now days with mapquest/google etc. a criminal could go right to your home and you would come back from your happy cruise to your burgularized home. We should all be more cautious. Thank you OP, for reminding us.

[meripour]

Never thought of that. But I never use my real name as my user name ever!! That way when I get an email that says "Hi wingnut" I know it's just junk and delete it. There are so many ways people can have their identity stolen. That's why I'm glad my husband left me bankrupt. I know no one can open a CC with the bankruptcy on my credit report!! ;)

 

Well there you go wingnut - a silver lining to every dark cloud! Great attitude.:)

[superjerryw]

The orignal poster is correct in that many people give out way too much information on this web site. I have seen people thay use their first initial and their last name as their screen name. They also display the name of the town (frequently a small town) they live in and when they are going on a cruise. If would not take much for a thief to merely look in a phone book and find their address and then pay their empty house a visit while they are on their cruise.

[concal]

Just when I thought I had fretted over all the major things that could go wrong...

 

Norovirus

Bedbugs

Accidentally falling overboard

Losing my Sea Pass Card

Not getting enough free ice cream

 

Now someone is going to rob my house and/or my cabin!!

Mommy!!

 

Seriously, thanks for the reminder. No more "sharing" for me - at least not on this site!!!

 

Concal (and that's all you'll get out of me)

[XxCrazee4CruisinxX]

i agree, nicely put!

[zotzer]

If would not take much for a thief to merely look in a phone book and find their address and then pay their empty house a visit while they are on their cruise.

 

That's why it's good to be unlisted, and to have very big dogs who stay behind at home.

 

T

[greatdanemom]

That's why it's good to be unlisted, and to have very big dogs who stay behind at home.

 

T

 

LOL!!! I was thinking the very same thing. Woe to the poor burglar who tracks my cruising dates and then shows up at my "empty" house to burglarize it. He'll soon meet my Great Dane, my dog sitting son (the police officer) and my son's two German Shepherds.

 

Better yet, the poor guy who goes to the trouble of breaking into my stateroom will find that we travel VERY light. Fake jewelry and old lady clothes...not much of a haul.

 

But I understand and appreciate the OP's good intentions in pointing these things out. We all probably do give out to much info. OP, I'm honestly not blasting you. Just chuckling at some of the mental images for my own situation. Thanks for looking out for all of us.

 

Cheryl

[sas80]

I always wonder about the PEOPLE who point stuff like this out!!! :rolleyes:

 

Why do you think like this? That's my curiosity!

[critterchick]

I completely agree with the OP. It's a sad fact that, even though 99% of the people we encounter here or on other online sites are terrific people who would never cause us harm, there's that 1% who can wreak havoc on our lives, and we have to protect against ourselves.

 

I think I have enough information for people to narrow the search to about a 20 mile radius, and that's it. I agree about WTMI on the Roll Calls, though. I don't post personal pictures (that's not even my cat in my avatar!) online and I never give out my cabin number until maybe a week before the cruise.

 

Sometimes it's a little awkward - we have a Roll Call where a number of posters have cruised together before, so somebody has very graciously and very nicely offered to mail nametags to us prior to the cruise. But we have to email her with our addresses. I just can't do it, not for somebody I haven't met yet. I'm sure she's a terrific lady, but I just can't, so I guess we'll be the anonymous ones.

[SissasMomE]

In the world we live in today we have to be so much more careful than in years past. Being a victim of identity theft I am sometimes more careful than others may think to be. I see that so many of you make it public knowledge when you will be on your cruises, meaning the exact cruise dates. The thought came across my mind of ones being able to use that information for home burglarly. Like I said, this is just a thought. Trust me, we cruisers are possibly not the only ones lurking on these pages. If I were a home invader and I saw the dates you were going to be gone and your home city is listed and you use your real name as your user ID, BINGO.

 

Like I said, just something to think about. No blasting needed. Just a concerned "citizen".

 

 

Thanks, Tammy. I always have a house sitter to watch my "pits", but you are absolutely correct in what you are saying. I am guilty of it myself.

[mrstay]

I always wonder about the PEOPLE who point stuff like this out!!! :rolleyes:

 

Why do you think like this? That's my curiosity!

 

 

The reason I bring this up is because I was a victim of burgarly when I went on vacation to Alaska one year. Although, I was not on the interest in those earlier years, it can happen. Since I have also been a victim of identity theft I am VERY cautious of giving out any information to anyone.

 

I only posted this thread because over the past few months it is something that I had noticed and wanted to bring it to everyone's attention.

 

If it is I that you are worried about being the one to break into your home, trust me you are safe. Being a homebased business owner, homeschool teacher and a mother of a 20 month old, I am just happy if I get to shower each day. Having the time to burgarlize is out of the question. Although I have to make sure to have time to lurk on this board everyday for new ideas for my cruises.

 

Guaranteed, I am not a sicko for thinking of this.

[TigerMom]

If you are worried about Identity theft you might want to consider the information you have on your public profile here. I pointed this out earlier but my post was removed. Thanks for the warning and hopefully you will take your own advice.

[SunshineCity]

She posted this thread because she was concerned and makes a very valid point. Probably 50-60% of people don't take it into consideration and allow their names to be posted freely. I recently went on a Celebrity Cruise and there was a roll call for our sailing. They wanted us to supply our real names, where we were from and our cabin numbers, so this one joker who I called the ring leader could publish it on the thread. Well out of about 25 couples at least 19 answered. These people were in their later years, as I shall hit them soon enough. I ignored the request and was constantly reminded that I hadn't posted the info. Follow your gut and I thank you for bringing this to the board to the attention of others.

[Cam6959]

I guess I am one of those that started a roll call post with names and I only put in the state if US or the country if not US. First names only and (I am guilty) stateroom numbers also where staying if staying the night before. I have given my email to two people one with my Celebrity cruise and one with my Brilliance cruise. I don't feel the information I am asking for will get anyone in trouble with identity theft. I would never give out date of birth, last name or any type of address for someone to be discovered. I don't even ask for that type of information. Just a general idea of where we are all coming from and where we will be on the ship. Hopefully, that is not enough information to get anyone in trouble. :D

[SunshineCity]

Just to clear things in my mind, why do people have to take things many steps further. You can go on line on roll call and chat with fellow cruisers but people asking for cabin numbers, email addresses or even publishing their own email address is way beyond me. Meet at the Cruise Critic Gathering and decide for yourself whether you want to take any relationship a step further. Some couples will strike it up real fast while I know for myself there is always one couple maybe two that we socialize with on the cruise. A lot of them just don't appeal to us. I have met some wonderful couples on board the cruises I have taken and with most of them have become friends and still keep in touch, visit or cruise together.

 

I think the major problem is some people want to over friendly and helpful here on the board and they go a step or two overboard. I've seen people try to plan private excursions, telling interested folks to email her and give her their credit card number. I've seen a person set up a private excursion for people she never met and use her own credit card to put down a down payment. Now that could of come back to bite her big time.

 

To all you board members who try to do wonderful things for people on the cruises I take, I thank you but decline graciously.