Selling Your Old GPS Device? Be Careful -- It Might Still Have Your Address

On O'ahu Hawai'i, one only needs a GPS while hiking or sailing out of sight of land. Besides my return mail addy is a USPS P.O. Box and/or a Mailboxes USA store nearby. Mo bettah. And yes we DO have crime in Hawai'i.

Well, since sometimes the devices give the wrong street to turn down or tell you to turn where there is none, all the bad guys will inevitably be hit by oncoming trains. I can sleep better now. Right? :)

LOL Charles.... love your comment... !

The message above where Alex says:
Britney Spears naked again poins to a web page that has a VIRUS.

We gave up our privacy and security ages ago when computers took over our lives. We're all on about a million data bases anyway, and the care some companies take to protect that data can only be described as pathetic. So why worry now?

I just use the one on my cell phone... VZ Navigator..

WOW...REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE ACTUALLY USED A PAPER ROAD MAP FOR DIRECTIONS. OR EVEN WHEN YOU COULD ACTUALLY ASK SOMEONE FOR DIRECTIONS. HHHMMMM.....MAKES YOU WONDER, HAD TO BE A MAN THAT INVENTED THE GPS

Open a Phone Book .... thousands of names and addresses.

Ken says:
AHH FLEE! RUN IN TERROR!

Oh my GOD! You mean a guy with a degree in Technology Security can use a whole load of expensive programs and get old data off my GPS? I'm SHOCKED!

Oh wait, no I'm not. I really don't care. Why don't I care? Because I'm smart enough to know that if I clear the data off the GPS and reset to Factory Default before I sell it, mere mortals aren't going to be able to recover that data.

I also know that people rich enough to buy those programs, and smart enough to use them, have better things to do with their time than rob my broke azz!

But hey, panic sells so please continue with the hysteria.
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LOL...you're right...much ado about nothing...

This is completely stupid. IF you cannot find your way via a Thomas Guide or Mapquest near where you live repeatedly, you are either too lazy or stupid to use what is available (like your brain). Granted: you visit another town you have never been to like Boston or Denver and you live in Phoenix, you might need one to get around. How would that have your home address? Who cares where you go, you are out of town.

I do not see the pertinence of a GPS locator that has your information in it. There are other ways to get to someone. You can purchase a disgruntled GMan's Help or a disgruntled Ex-Military Hacker to check DMV records, etc... There are a thousands ways if you're innovative... Why bother with a GPS? Half of us have published Phone #s with Addresses!

If all you people are so paranoid someone may have your address, do away with your gps, cell phone (which you can be tracked by)and every other modern conveinance. So, someone has your address, big deal, you address is plastard all over everything you do, especially when you get mail, even junk mail..Im not living my life hiding under a damn rock.

ALL IT TAKES IS COMMON SENSE ! ! !

why would anyone spend like $200 and up to buy something like a GPS when all you need is a $2 map--Oh yeah somepeople cant read maps but i see no need for a GPS ever.Then again i dont have a cell phone either

Yeah, so? My address is listed on superpages.com, or any other of the thousands internet sites that list phone numbers or addresses. Someone that wants to rob your house (im assuming thats the fear here?) can do it with or without a voice to guide them right to it. Why woud having your address in a GPS device make your house any more attractive to thieves unless next to the address there was a note saying "I keep $10k in cash in the sock drawer in my bedroom and no one is home Monday through friday between the hours of 6am and 3pm"
If your home is going to get robbed, it is...so do what i do, keep a loaded shotgun in the house to take care of anyone too stupid to read my "no trespassing, violators will be shot" sign.

Um...I'm gonna go out on a limb here and point out that all of your information [address, phone numbers, political party, amount you paid for your house, etc] is already public domain and INSTANTLY accessible on the Internet free of charge [go to google, type your county followed by the letters GIS and do a search - viola! You can find out how much your neighbors and friends paid for their house, along with much more info about them - all of it is public domain]. Having your address in your GPS does not do a thing to put you in harm's way any more than being listed in a phone book. You conspiracy theorists need to get a grip and shake yourself.