Please Read!!!!!

[OC Campers]

My mother in law sent this to me today. I find it absolutely horrible.
 
Google has implemented a new feature where you can type someone's telephone number into the search bar, hit enter and then you will be given a map to their home or business.
 
Before posting this I tested it with my own phone number and sure enough it had my name and mapped out where I live. I have 3 school aged children and to me I found this very scary. Especially with all the wacko's out there now. The safety issues are obvious and alarming. This is not a hoax. Mapquest puts a star on your house and your street.
 
To try it out:
Go to www.google.com and type in your phone number (555-555-5555). Use dashes but do not use spaces. Hit enter. This will divulge your home and address. Click on the "mapquest" link which will use the address to provide a map to your home.
 
To block:
Click on the "telephone" icon next to your phone number (on mapquest) and follow the removal instructions. It takes 48 hours to remove. If your phone number is unlisted you might not be there. Better to be safe than sorry.
 
Please check your phone number!!!!  I am not trying to say anything bad about Mapquest or google but all I know is that I don't want my name and address out there unless I put it there.
 
Jacqui

[angelsmom10]

Mine was not in there and so far, none of the phone numbers I know by heart are in there.

[campingboaters]

If you do not block your name and number from going in the "white pages", you can be searched on the internet.  Just go to www.infospace.com I certainly didn't put my name there.  It is the exact way my name appears in my local white pages.

[campingcop]

Your phone number has to be listed, if you have an unlisted number it will not work.

[birol]

Reverse look up works wonders ........ If you are (telephone number) in whitepages, you can be located very easily. This has been available for quite sometime now if I recall correctly.

[Acts 2:38 girl]

I typed in my #, and somebody else's name and address came up!  It it pretty scary, though.

[B-flat]

It isn't anything new. There's a site at www.411.com where you can do the same thing by name or reverse phone number. So far no one has been able to find a phone number for B-flat. :rolleyes: :J  There are probably other websites for doing the same searches.  However, with the Do Not Call list I am not really concerned about telemarketers any longer, either.

[Camperroo]

all you have to do is type in white pages and you'll get a list.  If you are in the phone book, then you'll most likely be in this.  Never post your full name and address on forums or websites.

[OC Campers]

I don't mind people having my phone #.  With caller ID, I can answer what call I want.  But with this thing. they actually can get directions to my house.

Jacqui

[birol]

Doesn't white pages in US also list the address ? It does over here ....... So you got a number, you have an address.

[aw738]

I tried it but the star isn't close to the place I live. One of the benefits of rural life.    :p

[B-flat]

Those who have privacy concerns will find that governmental offices such as the local property tax department also have public records so anyone can find you.  They also have photos and appraisals of your property on file.  It doesn't stop with just a phone number.  Well, mine is such a common name that there are plenty that will turn up all over my state with the same name.  :eek:  :cool:  

[gsm x2]

I don't mind people having my phone #.  With caller ID, I can answer what call I want.  But with this thing. they actually can get directions to my house.

Jacqui

Jacqui:

They are right when they say that this information is coming from the white pages of your phone book.  There are a couple of options if you want to avoid this situation:

#1---Have an unlisted phone number---which I refuse to pay for on principle
#2---Have only your name listed, not the city or your address.
#3---Have your phone listed under a somewhat bogus name.

We do #2 and #3.  We are listed and do show up in the Google Search, but it took me over ten minutes to find my own phone number in the white pages based on what the search revealed.

Scott