Explain this Ashley Madison thing.. Are people really that dumb?

[Rakehellion]

Who cares?

 

[Charmonium]

I never heard of the Ashley Madison site before this scandal broke but I think you techies that posted above are taking an oversimplified view of tech and an overly cynical view of humanity (big surprise there).

From what I understand the AM site is some sort of pay cheating hookup site and specifically promised your private information would be secured. Outside of it's central purpose if I (as a reasonably computer literate member of the public) was to use that site I would expect at least the same sort of security as if I used my bank's site, a store like Amazon or a governmental site. I EXPECT to be able to post personal information, credit card data, etc. and have it be retained safe, secure and private.

AM failed. To claim it's users were dumb as rocks for relying upon the specific promises of privacy directly made to them by the site's owners is in fact stupid and wrong and passes the responsibility for the breach onto the users rather than the site operator, where it should belong.

I'm not saying don't take simple common sense precautions to protect yourself when using the internet, but a lot of the posters above seem to be claiming that anything short of doublebagging and wearing a full hazmat suit everytime you go on the internet means that you are a fool. If that is in fact the case, commerce on the internet will fold up and disappear.

The real question here though is can you justify taking such claims at face value. Of course a site like AM is going to tell you that you're safe and secure. They wouldn't get nearly as many users if they didn't. So you have to expect that a lot of what they tell you doesn't necessarily reflect the reality of the situation.

It's like going to a used car dealer and taking everything they tell you at face value. Most people aren't going to do that and for good reason. Same thing here. Don't you have to be at least a little naive to take the claims of a company like AM at face value?

If we agree that's the case, then as a user, don't you have some obligation to do a certain amount of double bagging?

 

[yuchai]

The real question here though is can you justify taking such claims at face value. Of course a site like AM is going to tell you that you're safe and secure. They wouldn't get nearly as many users if they didn't. So you have to expect that a lot of what they tell you doesn't necessarily reflect the reality of the situation.

It's like going to a used car dealer and taking everything they tell you at face value. Most people aren't going to do that and for good reason. Same thing here. Don't you have to be at least a little naive to take the claims of a company like AM at face value?

If we agree that's the case, then as a user, don't you have some obligation to do a certain amount of double bagging?

But people on this thread are talking about multiple personal e-mail accounts, fake identities on credit cards and such. That is a whole different level from not believing everything that a car dealer says.

I do a fair bit of online shopping and God knows when some of the retailers I frequent may get hacked. But to do anything to hide my e-mail address or credit card information seems extreme...

But yes, using a work e-mail for something like this website makes no sense whatsoever. I think we can all agree with that.

 

[IronWing]

You take that back!

 

[Charmonium]

But people on this thread are talking about multiple personal e-mail accounts, fake identities on credit cards and such. That is a whole different level from not believing everything that a car dealer says.

I do a fair bit of online shopping and God knows when some of the retailers I frequent may get hacked. But to do anything to hide my e-mail address or credit card information seems extreme...

But yes, using a work e-mail for something like this website makes no sense whatsoever. I think we can all agree with that.

"Extreme" is a matter of perspective. It depends on how you perceive the relative risks and what it's going to cost you to avoid those risks. So like everything else, it's a matter of finding the right balance.

I know that to most people it's going to seem excessive to do things like create aliases. But it doesn't really require much effort and once it's done, it's good for as long as you have that particular credit card. So why not create at least one alias to protect your identity online?

And even if we can't agree that worth doing, at least use the dynamic acct creation feature on your card. I think most issuers have something like that these days. I know for Citibank, all you have to do is log in and select "virtual accounts" and you're good to go. They also have an app you can download.

When I create a virtual account at citibank, it's only good for the merchant I give it to. If anyone else tries to use it, it won't work. And when you cancel one of these accounts, they're useless, even to the vendor. I started using this feature on a regular basis when Citibank had to start issuing me a new card every 6 months or so because of fraud issues.

Like I said, it's a matter of finding the right balance. Sooner or later there's going to be a data breach at a vendor you use and it doesn't take a lot of effort to create a couple layers of protection for when that happens.

 

[JEDI]

Not with Citibank and they're one of the biggest card issuers in this universe. Maybe other issuers have different rules but I've never had to provide any kind of ID verification for any of the bogus names I've given them.

esplain how fake name and use real credit card?

I couldn't do it with my credit card

 

[nakedfrog]

The answer to "Are people really this dumb?", regardless of context, is always yes.

 

[poofyhairguy]

esplain how fake name and use real credit card?

Go buy a pre-paid visa.

 

[jlee]

Wait, I thought authorized users had to be real people? My wife is an authorized user on my cards and they show up on her credit score. If you used a bogus name wouldn't they know??

My gf is an authorized signer (and there's a card in her name) on one of my accounts. She isn't a US citizen (so no social security #).

 

[Imp]

Not with Citibank and they're one of the biggest card issuers in this universe. Maybe other issuers have different rules but I've never had to provide any kind of ID verification for any of the bogus names I've given them.

edit: The holy grail will be to someday get a card issued to one of my puppet personas. So far I haven't been able to do that since they generally want a SSN and I haven't yet been able to hack the SSA.

I was thinking about this earlier... Do you think you'll have a problem if your account/credit card number does in fact get hacked?

Credit card co might get pissy and dispute your disputing of a charge if they dig deeper and find that you used aliases?

 

[Phoenix86]

You need an e-mail to sign up. Use your personal account? Hell no, SO might see that. Does your SO dig through your work e-mail? Bingo, I'll just use that one.

The thought process isn't that convoluted.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I'm surprised no one has come out with an open platform application for mobile devices that simply alerts someone when someone else is within three meters of them that they are open to a fling. Simple, free (initially) and anonymous.

 

[Charmonium]

esplain how fake name and use real credit card?

I couldn't do it with my credit card

You call your card company and add an authorized user. That's all there is to it. With Citibank, they have never questioned that request. Other issuers might have different rules but it's never been a problem with mine. You can probably even make the request online.

I was thinking about this earlier... Do you think you'll have a problem if your account/credit card number does in fact get hacked?

Credit card co might get pissy and dispute your disputing of a charge if they dig deeper and find that you used aliases?

I can't recall specifically, but I think I've had that problem a couple of times. As long as you can identify yourself as the primary card holder, there wasn't a problem. There was some confusion on the part of the operator about there being a different name on the account but I assumed they saw that the name used was an authorized user. In fact in one instance I think I told the agent that it was an alias and they didn't have a problem with it.

As I said above, maybe other card companies have different rules. I know that for dynamically generated accounts that's true. Citibank seems to have the most comprehensive features.

 

[Charmonium]

I'm surprised no one has come out with an open platform application for mobile devices that simply alerts someone when someone else is within three meters of them that they are open to a fling. Simple, free (initially) and anonymous.

I thought those already existed but I might be wrong. If they don't exist, they will soon. check out blinq.

 

[who?]

Go buy a pre-paid visa.

In order to fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering even the prepaid credit card providers are required to get lots of identifying information.

 

[LTC8K6]

It's even dumber...

There were almost no actual women using the site, apparently.

 

[waggy]

It's even dumber...

There were almost no actual women using the site, apparently.

when i heard about the site i figured it was going to be nearly all men.

 

[Genx87]

I get cheating, I mean.. Its pretty much human nature. If anything, it supposedly happening less than it has pretty much ever.

I don't get using your email. Or credit cards.
I have like 15 emails, each for a different purpose. I think like 2 or 3 of them have my real name (or something similar to it).

I have an email I use solely for buying things. I have one for work. One for school. One that is a work email. One that is a school email. One for this, and one for that..

Point is... how the fuck are you "smart" enough to cheat with technology, but not smart enough to have a fake email.

I keep seeing these fake celebrities and stuff. And politicians.

It just doesn't make sense to me.

People are stupid. I also think in the back of their minds they want to get caught. They cant face the reason why their relationship is failing and hope their partner finds out so it explodes and they can move on.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I have no issues with someone having an affair--their business, not mine. But the dumb out-weight the not-so-dumb by orders of magnitude. One would think that these kind of people would be charged a dumb fee. I shouldn't mention that since the Feds are probably going to run with it to pay for something stupid.

 

[mmntech]

It's even dumber...

There were almost no actual women using the site, apparently.

Yep, apparently the site was one big sausage fest and the vast majority of female accounts were bots. Active female users numbered under 10,000, versus 20 million for males. Of course Yahoo cites Gizmodo in the article. Anything from the Gawker Network should be treated with a grain of salt. Still wouldn't shock me though.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ashley-madison-bunch-dudes-talking-233158251.html

 

[brainhulk]

I'm surprised no one has come out with an open platform application for mobile devices that simply alerts someone when someone else is within three meters of them that they are open to a fling. Simple, free (initially) and anonymous.

What if someone who you don't want to know finds you...

Busted!!!

 

[Blackjack200]

Yep, apparently the site was one big sausage fest and the vast majority of female accounts were bots. Active female users numbered under 10,000, versus 20 million for males. Of course Yahoo cites Gizmodo in the article. Anything from the Gawker Network should be treated with a grain of salt. Still wouldn't shock me though.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ashley-madison-bunch-dudes-talking-233158251.html

I'd always suspected this was the case. I don't doubt that women cheat, but they generally don't look for a cheating man.

2,000 to 1 ratio. Wow. That's incredible. It was nothing but a scam to get money out of men, and after getting scammed the men got outed.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Oh, it gets worse.

I read (on reddit I think) that you pay something like $100 for 50 messages. When you get to 10 messages left, a male Ashley Madison employee sends you a message that she (really a he) is interested in you.

You would then most likely buy another 50 messages, because it looks promising. Rinse, repeat.

Ashley Madison's biggest mistake was marketing itself as a cheaters site. And, I would not be surprised if the motivation for this breach was a result of cat-fishing by employees.

 

[Newell Steamer]

I'd always suspected this was the case. I don't doubt that women cheat, but they generally don't look for a cheating man.

Most women also make sure they don't get caught. Handing over personal information is a sure way to get busted.

 

[BudAshes]

Yep, apparently the site was one big sausage fest and the vast majority of female accounts were bots. Active female users numbered under 10,000, versus 20 million for males. Of course Yahoo cites Gizmodo in the article. Anything from the Gawker Network should be treated with a grain of salt. Still wouldn't shock me though.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ashley-madison-bunch-dudes-talking-233158251.html

That pretty much makes him the greatest internet troll of all time.