Kindle ebook reader

This is just an FYI.

Browsing the thrift store I found an Amazon Kindle book reader.

It's old, from 2009. But I plugged it in, charged the battery and it works!

But this is the FYI, please if you have an old laptop or computer or anything, DO NOT donate it. Even if you "wipe" the memory and reset it.

This kindle had the previous owners full name (with middle initial) his phone and email. No password either.

Plus, it had a case and there was a couple pictures of the family.

So just take the computer or hard drive or whatever out to the gun range and shoot it!

That's it! A few bullets will help stop identity theft.

I pull the memory/hard drives and destroy them, or rewrite them with the appropriate software so there is no recoverable data. At this point, storage is so cheap almost doesn't make sense to do anything but destroy them.

If you're a fan of recycling, the aluminum castings from drives are an excellent casting alloy.

Kevin said:

This is just an FYI.

Browsing the thrift store I found an Amazon Kindle book reader.

It's old, from 2009. But I plugged it in, charged the battery and it works!

But this is the FYI, please if you have an old laptop or computer or anything, DO NOT donate it. Even if you "wipe" the memory and reset it.

This kindle had the previous owners full name (with middle initial) his phone and email. No password either.

Plus, it had a case and there was a couple pictures of the family.

So just take the computer or hard drive or whatever out to the gun range and shoot it!

That's it! A few bullets will help stop identity theft.

Click to expand...

So what is the problem?? All of the above info is in public records. My info is still in the phone book, remember those. Put in your address and your name will come up in the tax records. Family pictures are on this site and facebook among other sites.


C. J. Hayden Jr.
15 W Kitty Hawk
Richmond TX 77406
281-342-8807
Should I now be paranoid???????????
Some of the family

Well…..did you get a bunch of free book that were already loaded? I love my kindle

Love the 4 generation picture Mr. Hayden!

edm1 said:

Well…..did you get a bunch of free book that were already loaded? I love my kindle

Click to expand...

It does have about 14 different books on it. Some of them look interesting. I like the format, didn't even realize they still sell Kindles.

In fact they've got some pretty neat models, ones you can write on like a notebook.

And @Wyandot Jim , I don't know what the answer is. I taught computers in middle school for a while. We used to teach about limiting your "digital footprint." You kinda blew that out of the water.

I see your point. But I also want to limit my exposure on the internet. I'm not alone either. The other day my daughter told me one of her friends' parents went so far as to give a fake address to the school. You see they have a school directory that lists names and addresses of all students. I wish I had thought of that one!

But I don't know if it's good or not. I will say, the question isn't "what's the problem?" Or what does it hurt.

The real question should be: "How does it help?" Is it beneficial to have more personal information available?


@Wyandot Jim : edited to add, that is a nice picture by the way. Thanks!

We can worry all we want about the data we put out on the internet, yet...

This is the reported breaches in just the past 30 days: https://www.idtheftcenter.org/notified/data-breach-results/?breach_date=30

The number of banks on that list?!?! When it comes right down to it, the credit reporting companies have created a business of requiring paid credit protection yet are as subject to hacking as everyone else.

Keep an eye on your stuff. Use a different password for anywhere you have financial info (I use one password for forums and such that do not store payment info).

Wiping your computer, phone, or tablet, is good practice. Most devices now have an SSD, rather than HDD, these are both easier and harder to destroy (HDD's require a strong magnet, SSD's require pulverizing). Never throw electronics away, one they contain a lot of trace valuable metals, two you might as well just leave your wallet on a bus.