Now THIS is scary!

Have you ever tried typing your name on the Internet, on Google for instance?

If you do, it should show you all and every site where you are mentioned.

These days it is probably wise to ask former employers to delete your name, address, phone number and e-mail address.

Another trap is LinkedIn and other sites one is advised to be on when unemployed. It is difficult to delete membership, but it can be done.

I'm told that the IRD and any welfare agency (used to be called DHSS) can share any information with banks, security agencies such as MI5 and police, despite the so called Privacy Act.
That Act stops the banks from sharing what they know with others but not with the IRD, DHSS and others if those agencies ask for it.

Any time you sign up for HP, a house, or insurance, it's registered online and whilst the companies themselves may pledge never to sell that information, the human factor intervenes (as my son in IT keeps telling me) and anyone working in their IT departments can steal lists of details and sell them on.
It risks their jobs but many people think its worth the risk.

If you want to scare yourself even further, read this:

medium.com/swlh/what-does-google-know-about-me-or-everyone-899dc6edef47

Even the words you use here and in emails to friends are collected by clever software to form a overall picture of what you like, where you go online and in the world, even what you eat or cook - and much more.

It's all part of being active in the digital world.

nina very disconcerting indeed!

Twice I was losing the will to live, but I will be taking it up tomorrow when I have to phone to check if I now actually can access the account.

That is disconcerting

Spooky and quite concerning. I’m not sure I could leave it like that