Kitco and sensitivity of customer data

[DonTReuseUserNames]

Having to register a postal address to post on this forum seems like a security risk to me, especially after the killings with the LedgerWallet leak.

What are your thoughts?

[brain_damage]

There`s absolutely no reason for Kitco requiring the sensitive information they do !! In case of a security breach, you may be a victim of a home invasion ........ or worse. The only reason I can think of is likely some sort of official request by a certain .gov agency to collect this info for "spying" purposes .......... and they ask for a LOT MORE than just a postal address. ........ WHY !!!

[shades]

Govt overreach starts out by innocuous things, that get attached to pleasure reward scenarios, such as online social media.

I work also in special projects for govt security concerns, and when I was in first orientation for an unamed agency after clearing background check and being issued a security clearance, first thing they told me was ditch facebook, as that was basically an intelligence gathering asset of NSA. Full permanent records of not only your postings, but worms into your phone gps/cell data, so you have a permanent record of everywhere you ever travel that is within cell service. We could not have records of many of my destinations, so have to give up my phone for those trips, and issued a "travel" phone. Cannot direct dial any numbers except for a central exchange that literally strips encoded data, then forwards call from there to my wife, for example.

I have never had a facebook account anyway, was the only one in orientation that did not. When asked why, I told them I was always suspicious of facebook from the getgo, and smelled a rat.
Was applauded for that remark.

[brain_damage]

Govt overreach starts out by innocuous things, that get attached to pleasure reward scenarios, such as online social media.

I work also in special projects for govt security concerns, and when I was in first orientation for an unamed agency after clearing background check and being issued a security clearance, first thing they told me was ditch facebook, as that was basically an intelligence gathering asset of NSA. Full permanent records of not only your postings, but worms into your phone gps/cell data, so you have a permanent record of everywhere you ever travel that is within cell service. We could not have records of many of my destinations, so have to give up my phone for those trips, and issued a "travel" phone. Cannot direct dial any numbers except for a central exchange that literally strips encoded data, then forwards call from there to my wife, for example.

I have never had a facebook account anyway, was the only one in orientation that did not. When asked why, I told them I was always suspicious of facebook from the getgo, and smelled a rat.
Was applauded for that remark.

You`re right about facebook. It always was an information gathering vehicle from the git go. I think one must understand that facebook is primarily a government tool, and secondly a social media. I had a facebook account myself for a very short time years ago when they first appeared, but never ever posted anything of a personal nature, and closed my account within a couple weeks simply because it doesn`t take a brain surgeon to know you don`t post anything there unless you`re prepared to allow the entire world to know all about you.

You`d be absolutely amazed at the amount of personal information that can be gleaned from one careless, seemingly innocuous word ....... not only on facebook, but on any social media, and yet you get people, usually the young crowd, that gleefully post their personal info like name, address, phone #, friends`names, where they work, and, if you can believe it ....... credit card numbers and banking info.

It`s mind boggling !!

[ynot2k]

Having to register a postal address to post on this forum seems like a security risk to me, especially after the killings with the LedgerWallet leak.

What are your thoughts?

There`s absolutely no reason for Kitco requiring the sensitive information they do !! In case of a security breach, you may be a victim of a home invasion ........ or worse. The only reason I can think of is likely some sort of official request by a certain .gov agency to collect this info for "spying" purposes .......... and they ask for a LOT MORE than just a postal address. ........ WHY !!!

Having to register a postal address to post on this forum seems like a security risk to me, especially after the killings with the LedgerWallet leak.

What are your thoughts?

To all,

The forum registration is set up to ask for information such as address etc. There is no requirement to fill it in, many member have blank info. Some have obviously erroneous data (including quite a few well done funny ones).

The only thing in this area the forum ask is that members who post in the Buy and Sell threads have valid APPEARING info in their profile. It is not checked for validity and to date only one brand new member was asked to 'prove' it - several years ago, I forget the reason why, but it had to do with protecting other members. If a member post in the Buy/Sell threads their profile is glanced at and if it looks reasonable it is simply a non-issue. If it is blank, obviously erroneous etc that member's posts in the buy/sell thread will be removed until they rectify the situation with valid appearing info, again it is not checked.

Regards,



PS actually more concern to forum admin or mods are new members who jump in with flame fanning remarks about our host. Experience has shown that it is often a returning banned member with a grudge. I don't know if that fits the new member in this thread and have not looked into it to try to determine if so or not. At this point I am assuming good will.