Are you afraid to give personal information online?
By Stephannie
@stephcjh (38473)
United States
March 22, 2008 11:32pm CST
I was always afraid to give my personal information online, even when setting up my bank account online. Hackers can get into just about everything these days. I feel like if they are going to get my information, there is nothing I can really do about it other than keep my passwords safe.
I have joined many websites over the years and have not had any problems so far, thank God. All of the site sI join do pay me and I trust them with my information. One site paid me $25.00 just for joining them and they sent it to my bank account in three days. All I had to do was join. I was a little bit scared though because they asked me for my Social Security number.
I did see that they are registered with the BBBureau and they are run by someone from the AOL company. They are also based in the U.S.
I joined them over a month ago and alot of people have been paid $25.00 by them. They are a payment processor like Paypal and they pay new members to just join them. I thought it looked like an easy $25.00 so I checked it out and got my money.
I always check a site out and ask questions about it before giving them any information.
Do you? Are you too scared to give information online? Alot of sites ask for a phone number also. Are you afraid to give that out also?
I'm okay with it. I have never been called from telemarketers or anything so far. Knock on wood!
8 people like this
29 responses
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
23 Mar 08
I joined that site as well, but I had them pay me by check. I didn't feel comfortable giving them my bank information. I don't mind giving out my personal information for sites that I feel are pretty safe. If I am uncomfortable with a site, then I won't join at all.
2 people like this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
23 Mar 08
That is the same here with me. I will join it if I check it out and make sure I am comfortable with it. It is also nice to see if a site is registered with the BBB too. I have my checking account in Paypal and the other payment processing site as well. I like to transfer my money right to the bank instead of a check but that is just my personal preference. I bank online too and it just makes it alot easier for me.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
23 Mar 08
I like transferingmy money right o may account as well. I just was not 100% sure of that site and do not like handing out my bank information to a site that I am not 100% I am going to use all the time. I bank online as well. I only write out 3 checks a month and 2 of those is because my bank charges $5/month to have our car loans pulled directly out of our account (we have the car loans with them, quite silly, eh?). The other check is our rent.
@hotice_steve (38)
• India
23 Mar 08
I think this privacy issue is blown out of proportions.
What's the max they can do to you.
Its easy to control one's own funds.
They cannot bomb you!
Infact its the other way around.
Everybody likes to be spammed.lol.
We all get our share of attention & we enjoy it to the hilt.
That why we get on-line the first place.
I think the general public is quiet comfortable. Doesn't matter if they loose a 1000 bucks. If they can't afford it they would not be on-line in the first place.
A confession to make . There are still many who are afraid to give personal information on-line. God knows why.
Thanks.
2 people like this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
23 Mar 08
I agree. I know some of my information, especially my email address, will be sold to others so they can spam me daily but I just delete it. I was afraid to give out my social security number though but I really wanted that free $25.00 so I did it and have not had any problems with it, nor have any of my friends. I'm sure alot of them sell our phone numbers too but I always check my bank account and if there is ever any illegal activity in there, I will report it.
1 person likes this
@icyorchid (2564)
• United States
30 Mar 08
I always ask questions before giving out info. If my friends have done it and they are telling me to do it, I know it is ok to do.
My friends don't like to give their info online either. So I do go be recommendations also.
Glad you got the $25 I got mine too 
1 person likes this
@icyorchid (2564)
• United States
31 Mar 08
Yes I know a lot of people that are that way.
I tell them that they want the SS# for verification of their address only and no credit check, but that doesn't work either.
I did get a few to signup with it and they are happy, I told them to refer their hubby's and they would have $60 instead of the $25. lol
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
31 Mar 08
I'm glad you got your $25.00 too. Alot of people think it is a scam or they do not want to give their SS# out and I don't blame them but alot of us checked the site out and it is very legit and trusted. I like it that they are also registered with the BBB also.
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
23 Mar 08
I can understand that but how will Mylot pay you if you did not put in the correct name or paypal address? Did you not put correct information in there either?
@benthose (474)
• India
24 Mar 08
hey.. I do trust Mylot.. (I have to in order to pay money.)
But what I meant is that I dont trust everyone in mylot.. There are quite a lot of spammers and scammers everywhere in the internet, including mylot. But I dont blame mylot. And I so provide info to them and so far, I aint got no spam in my mail from them
@cortjo73 (6498)
• United States
23 Mar 08
I am afraid! Even here. I haven't set up a Paypal account for myLot yet either. I don't mind my bank stuff because I know the site is tied directly to my account. Same with charge cards. But, a place like myLot, I am just fearful. I may never set up my paypal account here. I mean, I never came here to make money. I never even knew that a site like this existed until I found this site while googling for info on a product and one of the links was for myLot.
So, to answer your question! I am extremely afraid to give out my personal info!
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
23 Mar 08
I think you are safe. I have been with Mylot for over a year now and I have used Paypal for 5 years. I have always sent and received money to my bank account with them with no problems. Mylot always pays too. It is a nice site to have fun with and I do enjoy the earnings. I have been earning and getting paid online for 5 years now to help my family out.
1 person likes this
@cortjo73 (6498)
• United States
23 Mar 08
Thank you for the encouraging words! I will likely step out onto that limb once I get up to $100. I just feel like I need to keep testing the waters here. I think I trust it here. It is just very scary to do without knowing for sure! I am afraid of a couple things in life and having my identity stolen is one of the top 5!
But, thank you for telling me your story. That is encouraging!
@cortjo73 (6498)
• United States
23 Mar 08
BTW...I have decided to wait to set up my paypal account until after I hit $100 on my earnings. At that time, I will reevaluate and decide at that time, whether I want to set my account up.
For now, I am just enjoying posting and making friends here!
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
23 Mar 08
Very true. I have been working online for about 5 years now and have seen alot of scams but I have been so lucky so far with my identity online. We can try to be so safe but sometimes we take that chance and join sites because it looks safe and promising.
@cjsmom (1423)
• United States
23 Mar 08
I have always been fearful to give out personal information online but when I have I hadn't had any troubles until last year. I ordered a Colon Cleanser product for my mom with my husband's credit card and about a month later someone tried to purchase auto work as well as computer services on that card. My husband called credit card company and found out that whomever it was had gotten his card number online. Unfortunately it is so hard to trust anyone now-a-days but as human beings we still do at times. We want to believe that people are basically good.
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
23 Mar 08
Yes. that is awful. I have not had any problems at all yet, knock on wood. I was very leary to give my social security number out online but everything has been fine so far and I trust the friend who referred me. The company did pay me the $25.00 for joining them and I had it in my bank account in three days. Everyone I know that joined them has not has single problem yet and I am so glad.= for all of our sake.
@terri0824 (4991)
• United States
24 Mar 08
I have to say that I am cautious about giving certain information. But it doesn't bother me to give my phone number. I've never gotten any unwanted phone calls,and I am very seldom home to know whether I am getting calls or not. I've never had any bad mishaps thank God for using my personal info for websites.
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
24 Mar 08
That's good. I have gave more than just my phone number and have been lucky enough not to have any bad things happen also. Sometimes things are just meant or going to happen no matter what we do to try and protect ourselves. It is awful but that is the way it is these days sometimes.
@gr8life (6251)
• Malaysia
6 Jun 08
Hello stephcjh,
I am afraid of giving my personal information online. What I do is that I created an e-mail only for this purpose and get another address for my online information (The address exists but it won't be my own address) I am very careful with my banking info as I know hackers can get it easily sometimes. Even when I was not active online, I still got calls from telemarketers. Sometimes, it is the bank who leaks the info to them.
1 person likes this
@nokia6233 (937)
• India
27 Mar 08
i was very scared in the bigenning when i just started to use the internet...
but now a days i readily give a secondary information that i have created for myself like my email address,etc....so that the important ones are safe with me..
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
27 Mar 08
I know what you mean. I have taken a few chances and gave more information than I am used to giving but it has been okay do far. I checked the site out really good before giving it though.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
23 Mar 08
Oh yes, I am very cautious about giving out my information..Which is why I didn't sign up for that alternative for paypal, because it was new and I didn't know anything about it..
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
23 Mar 08
I totally understand that. Alot of people have joined the site and no one has posted anything bad about them yet. Everyone who joined, got their money. I was leary to give my social security number also but i haven't had any problems with them so far. I really needed the money too so it was great that they offered it.
1 person likes this
@littleowl (7157)
•
27 Mar 08
hi steph' i'm only a begginer at being on the net so yes i don't really like giving out my personal information as i never know wether i can trust them-also i have this thing about hackers too they scare me silly as you say they can get into your info' that you give out on-line so easily-saying that though i have joined a couple of sites and at the moment haven't had any probs with them-though i havent got to pay out with any of them--i dont like giving my phone no out either but have done yet have had hardly any calls anyway-littleowl
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
28 Mar 08
That is the same with me. I have had fairly good luck so far online and do not get hacked or phone calls from people either. I did give my social security number on here one time recently though when I signed up for the new payment processor for the U.S. I checked them out throughly first though and everything is fine.
1 person likes this
@sophialin (2677)
• China
23 Mar 08
i was careless of it before and gave out my personal information every time i signed up a new website.while i find it troublesome soon as my mailbox received a lot of junk from different business.i know i was sold by some websites for business promotion deals.
i have screened it carefully and never given out my personal informayion easily since then.what's more,i used to delete history record of password and user name in website quickly after i close it now.i have a few knowledge of internet and surely won't learn more than hackers,thus what i can do is to protect myself better and be nore cautious and careful. that's all.take care
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
23 Mar 08
Yeah. Sometimes I am not so sure it is the websites we are joining that sells us out. Sometimes I think it is our internet service provider doing it also. They have access to all of our email addresses and they may sell us out for companies to spam us. It is a very good possibility.
@nicholejade (2430)
• Canada
23 Mar 08
It really depends on the site that I am going to. I want to be aware of everything that is going on. Most little sites I won't even bother. But sites like banking online and shopping online. I watch for little things. A secure site which will consist of https not http as well as a lock that is locked not open. There are little things to look for. Another thing that I have done without using a credit card I got a prepaid credit card which is untrackable and people can't use the card.
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
23 Mar 08
That is what I look for also. I was so scared when the site asked me for my social security number though. They are a site like Paypal and Paypal didn't ask me for that kind of information. I wanted to join the site so bad because they offered a $25.00 sign up bonus. They are registered with the BBB and their site is the https also. I took my chances and joined them and got my money in three days. No one has had any problems with them so far, so I think I am safe.
@nicholejade (2430)
• Canada
23 Mar 08
I haven't heard about this site yet. What is it called? I would be a little leary about giving my SIN card number out as well. That is the worst thing that you could do. That number is linked to pretty much everything on you.
@ajithlal (14716)
• India
7 Jun 08
I am also afraid to give personal information to the new websites, which I am not familar. I also think it is not safe to give credit card informations on the websites and other too personal information. I think most probably giving mobile number and phone number is also not that safe.
@cheenlly (3476)
• Philippines
23 Mar 08
I agree with you stephcjh, like you i am also afraid to give my personal information knowing the fact that in the internet world it can be stolen or hacked. When i was still new in the internet and first try to joined a site like mylot, i was hesitant to give my personal information. what i did is i read all the policy and agreement again and again and how secure the site is and also research for it i it's a trusted site. Luckily my first attempt here was ok and i was glad mylot is genuine. From there i tried other sites and do the same process but still cautious and making sure. I choose only trusted and recommended sites but of course the feeling of being scared are still there inside o me since some of them is not yet proven by me as i am still new. Knock on the wood! hope all of them are like mylot a genuine site.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
23 Mar 08
I know what you mean. I am joined with alot of sites and alot of them have paid me. I joined some bad sites when I first started on the internet and they were scams. I found out about a year later. I got out of them as quick as I could.
@manya_pearl (1901)
• Singapore
24 Mar 08
I never give my personal information online when it sets up my account bank online or anything that really concern with money that actually private. There are many bad people around online, they will grab money and etc... everything that happened just give you disadvantage... heheh... I never paid any paid sites that promise to give money after paid as member...
i'm just afraid to join there...seemed like scam
@BYOLA2871 (4371)
• South Africa
24 Mar 08
you need to be very careful when it comes to your personal information these days because of the issue of identity theft,in fact am scared of the things hackers do online even they go as far as trying to intercept banking information of high profile people,there is nothing they wont get up to,but the other thing is once you verify the authenticity of a site you can,but with due dilligence
