Date of Birth Requirement

[onecoop]

Hi Guys,


just a suggestion from someone who works in IT Security, making date of birth a requirement for forum membership is not a good idea.

Ive seen plenty of forums get hacked over the years and DOB is one of the key things that people use for identity theft. So in the likely chance that someone hacks this forum in the future, and grabs data from the members tables thats a real risk to members. The other option is everyone should do as I have and use a similar but incorrect DOB.

[flipfire]

Dob is optional.

and no one puts their real dob anyway.

[INVSBL]

dude, my DOB is on my myspace/facebook. along with heaps of others.
sif some1 is gonna hack ozhomo for some dob things........

[onecoop]

INVSBL I work for the company that advises facebook on their network security, and believe me, that is definitely not a place you want to post your real DOB.

Someone wouldnt hack the forums for personal data no, that would just be a side effect of things

[INVSBL]

can u please tell me what some1 can do with my last name, my date of birth, and crappy photos of my face???

[aaronng]

Date of birth is optional. I usually just put 1/1/01

[onecoop]

INVSBL, your last name, your email address, your DOB etc etc.
Add that to info in your facebook account and soon enough someone has enough info to ring your bank and pretend to be you.

not being paranoid or anything but identity theft is a bitch. Once someone sets up a few things in your name its hell on earth trying to get stuff sorted, because who is the real you

[bennjamin]

appreciate your concern , onecoop. At the end of the day it is up to the end user to provide or omit such real details and ultimately prevent or alter future crime.

[INVSBL]

INVSBL, your last name, your email address, your DOB etc etc.
Add that to info in your facebook account and soon enough someone has enough info to ring your bank and pretend to be you.

not being paranoid or anything but identity theft is a bitch. Once someone sets up a few things in your name its hell on earth trying to get stuff sorted, because who is the real you

ok kool,
good thing is, i dont hav a credit card.
and my email adress is an old arse msn one, that no bank should accept.
and the only personal stuff on facebook is my prior jobs and wat uni i go to....

and getting things sorted....
hmmm if i rock up to a bank with my passport, and other id thing, im sure i can get anything sorted.

but thanks for the heads up anyways.

[flipfire]

I usually put a leap year date since it only exists every 4 years.

But yea i do agree. Name, Dob, email address is enough for a fraud to work on and cross reference elsewhere, youll be surprised. If they know someone or have access to a nationwide database like a telecom company or credit bureau, then your screwed since name and dob is enough to identify a person. Mainly wealthy people get targeted though.

[aaronng]

I usually put a leap year date since it only exists every 4 years.

But yea i do agree. Name, Dob, email address is enough for a fraud to work on and cross reference elsewhere, youll be surprised. If they know someone or have access to a nationwide database like a telecom company or credit bureau, then your screwed since name and dob is enough to identify a person. Mainly wealthy people get targeted though.

You also need the account number of the bank/phone/credit, which is not impossible to obtain. Just "collect" someone elses mail.

[zco]

can u please tell me what some1 can do with my last name, my date of birth, and crappy photos of my face???

i'll give you an example
you'll sell your car online,
you'll put your mobile number up for call, i have your last name
your address is easily found out, or even if you meet someone at home for inspection of vehicle

your bank account details can be obtained from a previous transaction you've sold online, or i can ask for your bank account details for me to "transfer a deposit into your bank account for you" showing you that i will purchase the car.. something small say 250dollars

the money goes through . clears in your account. i tell you i'll pick up car next weekend.

during the week, i ring the your bank. hello, my name is mr invisbl, my surname is this. my dob is this. my telephone number is this
i live at this address. i have recently deposited money into my bank account of 250dollars last weekend.

i need a password reset and also username for logon ID for internetbanking. cheers

[chunky]

fok
my real dob is on OH
oh noez :eek:

[INVSBL]

i'll give you an example
you'll sell your car online,
you'll put your mobile number up for call, i have your last name
your address is easily found out, or even if you meet someone at home for inspection of vehicle

your bank account details can be obtained from a previous transaction you've sold online, or i can ask for your bank account details for me to "transfer a deposit into your bank account for you" showing you that i will purchase the car.. something small say 250dollars

the money goes through . clears in your account. i tell you i'll pick up car next weekend.

during the week, i ring the your bank. hello, my name is mr invisbl, my surname is this. my dob is this. my telephone number is this
i live at this address. i have recently deposited money into my bank account of 250dollars last weekend.

i need a password reset and also username for logon ID for internetbanking. cheers


how i stop these things from happening:
i dont put my mobile online, ever. and no1 knows my house phone. bank only does, anda they dont know my mob :p
i am selling my car thru some1 elses property. with no connection to me :p
i dont hav a credit card :p

hehe, but thanks, wat u said actually is usefull.

[aaronng]

Yes, very possible. For that reason, on FB I am born in 1931.

[SiReal]

At the end of the day, personal discretion and common sense should prevail, protect yourself by yourself, don't depend on others to do so for you.

[wynode]

As above. DOB on Ozhonda is optional and not a requirement.

[onecoop]

When you join it makes you put something in those fields - displaying it is optional.
It just came as a surprise to me that a forum would feel the need to collect information like that about members

Look at it from the other side, a commercial website collecting information like that would need to have a rigorously enforced security policy to protect member data, and then a procedure covering disclosure should that information be breached.

Ive been kicking around forums since 2001 and this is the first one that requires DOB fields to be filled in as a requirement to join, its simply crazy and although not an issue for me because of my job and awareness of IT Security Im sure there are many people out there who just fill it in with the correct dates

[joyride]

i've had my identity stolen. not funny at all when you gotta sort out the crap with debt collectors and banks.

i'm with onecoop, i dont put in any real details about myself and i'm one alot of forums, so i use 5 different highly encryted username/passwords. call me paranoid but the internets is serious business!

[wynode]

When you join it makes you put something in those fields - displaying it is optional.
It just came as a surprise to me that a forum would feel the need to collect information like that about members


Can you please show me where it says this on the sign up page?

[kcokla]

i think the majority of people have taken onescoop's suggestion in the wrong light,

sure, many people put fake stuff which is untrue adn therefore cant happen etc etc,
but to those people who do put in their genuine dates and names,
hes not pushing for anything just suggesting and many of you guys are making it out as if hes completely'wrong'

[cymax]

My boss just told me on Monday that his partner got $2000 transferred out and 2 extra credit card was subscribed and sent out without his partner's approval. His partner only found out about this when calling the bank to verify some transaction and was being told that his credit card had been sent to his requested address. DOB,your name can be the most useful information to get you into serious trouble.