If a company openly admits using social media and search engines to confirm identities etc EG fraud,

Is that unlawful?

What makes you think it might be? I can't see it myself but then I've not thought about it.

I believe dca's use it but then that's probably not the best example of ethical companies. :-/

The problem you would have is that information put out on social media is seen as being in the public domain. Unless they hacked passwords to get at the content there is no case to answer.

Somone once said to me. Posting anything to facebook is akin to putting all facebook users in the same room and you standing on a table shouting the info.

Employers use it, police use it. As SS says, it's in the public domain which is why it's so dangerous to give out too much info on there.

Whenever we get a new team member we check them on social media.

If they're not there it usually means that they won't cause any trouble

Haha... Thanks folks... I asked Because of the Money Shop battle I'm fighting.

They openly added in an email to me "Weve used social media and search engines to verify you identity against this fraudulent debt.."

I know it's the public domain but what I'm trying to get at is these kind of companies using social media as a weapon against me...

Nothing unlawful here I shouldn't think, as everyone else has said using information in the public domain is no different to using this site for information.

Haha... Thanks folks... I asked Because of the Money Shop battle I'm fighting.

 

They openly added in an email to me "Weve used social media and search engines to verify you identity against this fraudulent debt.."

 

I know it's the public domain but what I'm trying to get at is these kind of companies using social media as a weapon against me...

Sounds quite sensible to me although with other measures as not entirely reliable. .There was something on tv the other night about people making false pages on fb and putting lies about real people which make their life hell eg they were saying the girl featured was a prostitute.

If they have CCTV of someone taking a loan in your name and they can see it's not you then surely it confirms there has been fraud.

In some respects they had to go to great lengths in the past to try to find people but now we routinely tell the world where we are, what we're doing and potentially like some of my friends what we're eating at every given opportunity.

Putting it out there makes it fair game, it's not like they've parked a photographer outside your window, people do a great job of keeping the world informed all by themselves now. It's perhaps a salutary tale to those who don't want to be traced to not use social media or to ensure that the information that they do post is sufficiently well protected by the privacy settings.

I have patients who are registered at the practice I manage try to add me on Facebook or ask if I'm on Twitter/Instagram. I always decline requests and make sure my profile is sufficiently well locked down to only display information that I'm okay with anyone seeing.

you could always put on facebook that you are enjoying your new life in Mexico and that you wont be returning to blighty for at least 6 years...

Hell like the people says on the thread most people do its in the public domain i used information for a court case as proof the judge wasn't bothered saying that even though the guy was committing tax fraud they were not bothered either i think there is rules if someone tries to make money from it though but not sure best not share anything to public on facebook

You can use the Facebook Privacy settings to stop anyone not a friend from seeing your info, and iirc you can even set it so that they cant find you or send a friend request by using your email address should they have it.

There is a little sticky in the Employment Forum if it is still there regarding Facebook and Work, the extreme end of the info would be useful in locking out anyone from viewing your profile.

Say your looking for Mr Unique Name, and it is such a unique name that there are only 3 in the country, now you know the Mr Name your after lived in Leeds, when he ran up the debt, you do a facebook search and find all 3 Mr Names, and No 2 is shown as living in Leeds, then that's probably your man - a few minutes of fiddling with Facebook or Linkedn, and you have saved handing over cash to the likes of the 192 website to try and find your Mr Name.

The stuff available and how easy it is to access on the 192 is shocking, and there are a lot of strong arguments and beliefs that the site should be banned, it is basically a wonderland for, for example a domestic abuser looking for their abused partner who has done a runner. Me and an online friend tested it - With just her first name and surname and having a general idea where she lived, ie South East England, nowhere more specific than that, I not only located her street but her Fiance's name, and that was just through the free search! 192 is a story and thread all of its own though.