I had a minor traffic accident 3 weeks ago and have posted nothing on the net about it,

[doc03]

called the OHP and they said just move on since nobody was hurt and it was a single car accident. How is it today everywhere I click I see ads from lawyers looking for law suits on traffic accidents? Must have somehow knew a check was issued to the body shop?

[bettyellen]

1. Could be reading your texts?

[True Dough]

2. Did you do any Google or other search engine searches about vehicle accidents

Their advertising is based on algorithms and the topics you choose and spend the most time on are the ones that trigger targeted ads.

[doc03]

5. Nope no searches and I don't think any texts, don't do Facebook or Twitter. We have no privacy

when somehow you go on some kind of sucker list if you sneeze.

[aikoaiko]

3. They listen.

[unc70]

6. I know Google experimented with this, but

While Google experimented with listening in, I don't believe they have deployed anything quite that sinister, yet!

[unc70]

4. Do you use gmail? Or an Android phone?

Did you browse the web for body shops? ...

Google reads all you emails for tie-ins with advertising. On Android, your messages are also analyzed. Ads in websites can link to other sites. It goes on and on in ways most of us can not imagine.

[Lee-Lee]

7. Lots of ways

Got gmail? They scan your emails to target ads to you.

Did you go to the body shop? Some phones and apps track your locations and target ads.

And lastly there is growing evidence that your phones are listening for keywords.

[doc03]

8. How about if a friend made a Facebook post using my name? That's where

it came from I bet.

[Lee-Lee]

10. I doubt that. They use things concretely connected to you

So based on your specific devices browsing history or a device connected to your email.

Did you google to find the AAA number?

[doc03]

9. I know I called AAA for towing! nt

[donkeypoofed]

11. That is just creepy ! Wow.

[Lochloosa]

12. They read the police logs. Your name and info were in them.

[Whiskeytide]

13. Several more ways...

... in addition to those suggested above.

Accident reports can be obtained for a fee. Some big accident law firms have purchased access to reports around the country.

Some insurance companies sell that info.

Some body shops sell that info.

The body shop could have made some internet postings on the insurance company’s site using your info.

You might have gone to an insurance company’s website yourself to file a claim or track a claim, or even just to get contact info to call them.

We don’t really have privacy anymore - you’re right about that. But I doubt it’s as big brothery as listening phones, etc...

[Totally Tunsie]

14. The Terms of Service for devices, browsers, websites, etc., enable

all these encroachments into our privacy, and unfortunately we bear a good deal of the responsibility when our accounts are scrutinized, whether we like it or not. How many times are we presented a 40-paragraph TOS and, rather than wade through page after page, we take the quick way out and hit that "Accept" button without any thought at all. Hidden deep within that blah-blah-blah are the permissions for accessing all our information, and we've just signed away our rights

MSN, Google, Bing, Internet Explorer, Microsoft and the like are covering their butts and exposing ours on a daily basis. Use your computer, take the risk.

Such is life in the IT age....