by Gloria Johnston
I do very little surfing on the Internet but recently I spent some time visiting a few Yahoo group message boards on embroidery and quilting, two hobbies I am trying to make more time for in my life. I have an embroidery sewing machine and would love to get a long arm. I wanted to see what others are doing with these types of machines.
What I found was absolutely beautiful. Great ideas, gorgeous designs, lots of love, and a willingness of everyone to share what they’ve done.
That being said, ladies – and gentlemen – please listen up. Although we realize the importance of not putting names on children’s clothing and belongings, I saw quilts and embroidery designs with names of your precious grandbabies, nieces, nephews and friends. The names – first, middle and last, with full birth dates usually went along with a blog (web log – an online journal) description that went something like this:
1) My second daughter Mary and her husband John made me a grandmother for the third time. He was in the service so they traveled around a bit until coming back to settle in the next city. She has two other children, Mickey Dickey age 4 who was born when they were Texas for basic training and Sally Ann age 2 who was born while they were in Alaska. It’s really nice having her close by in Austin.
or
2) This was made for my brother-in-law, Tom. He and his wife, Sandy had their first child, Mary Jane Doe. They live in Jackson, Mississippi.
or
3) My first daughter Joanie loves the color red and I was able to incorporate her love of swimming with this piece with old time bathing suit fabric I found in my stash. We spend every weekend at West Lake during the summer and she is never out of the water!
Even though the above is fictitious as I didn’t see those particular facts, to me, from what I know, this is enough information to generate identity theft of not only those precious babies but their parents and yourself, as well. Some security questions I have found are Mother’s maiden name; oldest/youngest sibling; mom or dad’s middle name; favorite or oldest niece or nephew; favorite sports team; your birth place, mom, dad, or spouse birthplace; favorite color, food, hobby; date of marriage, – and sometimes even on a second tier they will list four addresses and ask which one is not familiar to you. Social security numbers are generated, in part, from area of birthplace
Being a victim has perhaps made me over paranoid about internet usage, but please cover that square with that personal information, and be very careful about what you are writing in your descriptions.
Please continue to be creative, take pictures and share your beautiful work. I had a great day looking through your albums. Thank you so much for sharing.
This article is truly a PUBLIC SERVICE. Thank you for taking the time to educate us.
You have made some good points there – I think people forget that they aren’t “talking” to a few regulars on these boards and that with a lot of sites you don’t have to be a member to look at a their posts – you only have to join if you want to comment.
you and i think the same and i tell all my 6 kids to never do these things its to much of a way for the bad guys to steal are childen and id hope more folks will open there eyes to this message you wrote them plese folks take the time to read this message now a days you can not do this things with the bad guys out there good luck with this message and hope all who read it dont for get the meaning of what was said
Gloria, that is fantastic advice!
I have often had the same thoughts when browsing pictures of personalised quilts etc that i have seen on the web – but i would not have thought to share those thoughts with others.
Sometimes we can overlook the simplest things, just because we assume everybody to be as trusting as ourselves.
Sadly, this is no longer the case
(
I also embroider and people always ask for the child’s name to be put on clothing and etc. I do not like to put children names on anything they wear or play with. I feel its an invitation for trouble. When my girls were small we lived in Florida not far for Adam Walsh and we lived in fear that they too could disappear.I have twin grandsons 5 months old. I did put names on the crib quilts but not on any of the clothing. Cute designs work well for decoration.
You are so correct Gloria. I have even seen some instances where the information given would be of particular interest to pedophiles! Be smart.
Thank you for this article as it is an imporatant reminder to be careful what we post on the internet. We are constantly telling our teens to not put too much personal information out there on the web, we need to think about what we post, too. Thank you all for sharing photos of your work for the rest of us to enjoy.
I have 25 great grands and make each a special baby quilt, i used to put their name and birthday on them but then thought of the same thing your saying so this is what I do. I put this quilt was made with love especially for you by your great grandmother and add my name. and the month and year and that’s it.
I’m so glad others are thinking of ID theift. It’s sad but unfortunately with child kidnapping, some of these babies carry their blanket everywhere for a few years. so now I don’t put on their names, no one can call them by name and “become a friend”
Good thinking, Gloria, some of us are still terribly trusting and naive and there are an awful lot of sad people out there just waiting to take advantage of us! I would say, think about it and if in doubt, don’t post it!
Gloria:
I wholeheartedly agree with you! I am a victim as well.
Many of the groups have been targets of malicious viruses, etc. Most of the embroidery sites have links to forums on Yahoo. They are full of great information for embroiders and crafters. I joined several forums in January and cannot count the times emails have been sent out not to open files, etc. That the emails did not come from them, but their address book was hijacked, etc. Make sure you have an excellent firewall and virus checker in place. So far, I have been fortunate and mine has caught all the potential viruses, etc. I cannot believe how mean the world can be, they even attach viruses to files that you need to download to embroidery.
I love to see the photo’s of the beautiful work. Since I am learning to digitize, I know the hours and the love that was put into those projects.
But, please be careful what you share.
I agree with what you said about ” T M I “, too much information, on personal articles we embroider. I embroidered towels for my great neices and nephews last fall but included a request by me to their parents NOT to let them use them outside the house. They were all more than happy to comply and the little boys and girls were excited to have their own towels to display in their bathrooms. Thinking ahead and being safe with our loved ones is paramount. Thanks for the warning!
Great advice, one can’t be to careful.I think of this all the time, thanks for the good advice. Fran
I do agree with to many details being dangerous! Both of my now adult children had SS# compromised as high school students! I am so paranoid I use fictitious answers on security questions and answers! You can not be to careful these days
This was a very interesting article. I agree with you 100%. Although I personally have never had my identity stolen, I can certainly simpathize with those who have. This is a sad time when we have to become almost paranoid about keeping our personal information secret. I do have one question though, do schools still require names be sewn into clothing and put on lunch boxes, etc.?
Right on! Also, if the child’s name is visible on a jacket, hat, school bag, etc., it gives an opening for predators to gain their confidence.
Yes I agree with you, I never had names in my children clohes only if it’s for indentification so it don’t get confuse with someone else item and it will be inside hiden or things that is not going out of the house or something like that, they way it’s now days you have to be careful
Yes! I have been beating this drum for many years….yet continue to see all these shirts etc. with a child’s name on their shirt, backpack etc. —I am also concerned when youth baseball season starts, and see kids names on their uniform…..by doing this, we make it easier for these ‘sick’ people to take kids….
So well said! I do commercial embroidery and I always advise customers to not put names and info on children’s garments where it can be seen, hide it in a pkt, or something if necessary. I even hesitate to put a monogram, cause then names can be guessed and might call the right name out when least expected. Things in their rooms that don’t go out, but not on clothing or purses/bags!!!
I may copy your comments to have to show if you don’t mind.
Joyce
Good points, I never thought that far.
Gloria,
You have made some very valid points.Thank you for sharing. It is sad that we live in such a world but it is a fact. Being a X cop myself and my family in law enforcement believe me when I say you can not be to careful now a days. I just hope everyone will wake up and take notice to what they are putting on here.
Thank you again,
Good info, some of us are the older generation but we don’t hae to be gullible. Always be aware of giving personal information.
Excellent cautionary advice!
I thought this was a great story and reminder. And I shared it with my sewing group on yahoo. I also posted it on my facebook page. Good one!
Great article, thanks Gloria. I tend to be quite cautious with personal info, as well, and really wonder about the current online fads where people are apparently catching up with folks from their past. Seems there’s lots of personal info being shared. I suspect a lot of people have the ‘it won’t happen to me’ attitude. Even on embroidery mailing lists, I’m a little shocked when folks have their full residential address shown in their signature lines. My kids tell me I’m a pessimist
Couldn’t agree with you more. The best advice I heeded about internet ID was never use a name which reveals your gender. I do not belong to any of the facebook variety of groups, and find their contents purile. If adults are willingly submitting their children to public ID, how on earth do we teach kids not to do it?
In all the years I have been on the computer I have never given out this personal information. I keep an address book by my computer with the answers I have given to the various websites so I don’t forget. Even the last digits of my SS have been changed.lol So keep your own address book handy with the website address and the information you have given them but NEVER give out the truth.
That’s a good article that shows that SiCK people care about more than embroidery. A lot of people are horribly careless with their personal details. Please, don’t use your real name on the internet. Use an extra E-Mail adress (yahoo even allows you to create some “bogus” adresses you can delete with no problem).
As for first names, I’m not that strict, because if you care to spend 5 Minutes around kids you’ll know their first name anyway (I suppose that every cashier at the local supermarket knows my DD’s first name, usually accompanied with something like “come here” “stop that” “hurry up” ;o)
That is something I have ALWAYS been careful of. I never put anything on the internet for anyone to see. I do not sign up for any facebook or any blogs and never give any information out anywhere, if they ask for it I close the site and never return there. There are people that do nothing but set at the computer and hack away 24/7 to collect pictures and personal informatio. Even being sooooo very careful, I have had our bank cards used and had to cancel them 4 times now in the last 3 years… Thank God our visa company calls us ASAP if anything looks out of place…people have had their childern’s photo stolen and their childern up for adoption and never knew about it… can you imagine that… scary..
Thanks for all the great, supportive comments. I was more concerned about the pictures and blogs that are being posted on the internet for all to note. Please cover the most important, personal information on the pictures of your beautiful designs and work that you share and be careful what you mention in the blogs.
Thanks for the timely reminder. Most of us are aware of these things but do tend to forget.
Thank you, a lot to think about.
Great article! Good information to think about.
You ROCK Gloria. . . thanks for pointing out the obvious. We all need our common sense poked awake occasionally. . . ESPECIALLY in this day & age!!!