Security Note

Security Note

I am aware that many people are afraid that public family trees such as this can assist in Identity Theft.

I find it hard to credit that potential thieves would find it any easier to make use of this site than of the many other public sources easily available through the internet which I have relied on to construct the tree; and I am inclined to think that the issue is promoted largely by those with a financial interest in security systems.

I am pleased to see that my scepticism is echoed in this excerpt from:-
Everything.com: Now What?: Do Family Tree Sites Help Identity Thieves? - Genealogy Websites | Genealogy - Everything.com :

"Information you might enter into a social networking or family tree site - your name, your ancestors' names, your hometown, and even your address and phone number - is already easily available through print and online phone directories, as well as other public records.

Plus, most identity thieves want your financial information and social security number, not just your name and address (or your ancestors' names). They'd rather spend their time stealing your mail or wallet, going through your garbage, or hacking stores' computer systems."

A source commonly quoted to emphasise the widespread danger - www.IdentityTheft.info - in my opinion confirms the insignificance of the risk from family trees on the web. The following item is taken from http://www.identitytheft.info/victims.aspx

"Approximately 15 million United States residents have their identities used fraudulently each year with financial losses totalling upwards of $50 billion. On a case-by-case basis, that means approximately 7% of all adults have their identities misused with each instance resulting in approximately $3,500 in losses.

"Close to 100 million additional Americans have their personal identifying information placed at risk of identity theft each year when records maintained in government and corporate databases are lost or stolen. These alarming statistics demonstrate identity theft may be the most frequent, costly and pervasive crime in the United States.

"The sophistication level of professional identity thieves involved in organized crime continues to grow along with the methods they develop. From individually tailored phishing and vishing scams, to increasingly successful hacks of corporate and government databases, to elaborate networks of botnets designed to hijack millions of computers without any trace, there is an ever-increasing threat to all Americans.

"At the same time, basic methods of identity theft continue unabated. From stealing wallets and purses, to dumpster diving and stealing mail, to the use of pretext and social engineering to deceive customer call centers into releasing personal account information, the original methods of identity theft still work.

"As the methods used to perform identity theft expand, so do the types of accounts and services being stolen by identity thieves. Credit, debit, checking and saving accounts are no longer the only targets. Identity fraud has grown to include theft of cell and landline phone service; cable and satellite television service; power, water, gas and electric service; Internet payment service; medical insurance; home mortgages and rental housing; automobile, boat and other forms of financing and loans; and, government benefits. Identity thieves will also use stolen identities to obtain employment and to deceive police when arrested."

A common warning is that mothers` maiden names are often used as passwords to access accounts over the telephone. While this was no doubt true in the later part of last century, I feel reasonably sure that the majority of security systems these days have gone well past that stage.

I have not been able to secure the permission of most people mentioned on the site as I do not know their address or how to contact them - a very pertinent requirement, I would imagine, for a would-be thief. Indeed, the main purpose of the site is to indicate the very broad spread of relationships in the family, and to allow distant cousins to become aware of it.

However, out of courtesy to visitors to this site who may feel cautious over the matter, I have done my best to remove from immediate view such items as date of birth, full forenames, or in some cases surnames of persons born since 1940.

I am happy, of course, to make the further details of BMD registrations, full forenames or missing surnames which I have traced available to anyone with family connections. Please contact me at my email address: homesite@tomosborn.f2s.com.