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LigerXT5 t1_iuiyl56 wrote

It's one thing if they have your number that is linked to info to identify you.

It's another when a phone number is basically an incremental number, even scammers will work up the chain to call and see who answer.

Then there's companies that sell your data to others, and Meta/Facebook eventually obtains it.

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PowerfulCar7988 t1_iuj1hgh wrote

So we have to add our phone number. Have it verified. All that just to see if they have it?

Doesn’t that sound… suspicious?

If they didn’t have my phone number before they sure as hell do now.

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Em_Adespoton t1_iuj1no2 wrote

> A tipster pointed us to the tool, which is well-hidden and apparently only available via a link that is embedded 780 words into a fairly obscure page in Facebook's help section for non-users. The linked text gives no indication that it's sending you to a privacy tool, and simply reads: "Click here if you have a question about the rights you may have."

Do those 780 words include “Beware the Leopard?”

Anyway, here’s the link: [edit] munged the URL because automoderator blocked the original and then failed to let me contact the mods: <fb’s url>.com/contacts/removal

Irony here is that I’ve got FB blocked at so many layers in my network that I needed to go over a vpn in incognito mode to get to the removal page.

Now the question becomes: do you trust Meta enough to provide that form with all your contact info that they may or may not already have?

[edit] after a few tests in contacts I knew they had and ones that I didn’t care whether they had… if they have it, you get a verification code and after you enter it they claim to start the process of removing that contact from their DB. If they DON’T have the contact, they return a generic error when you submit it, prior to any processing. This makes me trust the system a bit more than I otherwise would. I’ll check back later to see if they now have the contacts in their system that used to return an error.

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DistractionRectangle t1_iuj3rhc wrote

So basically this just moves you from one list to another?

Sounds like this is just a tool for improving signal to noise, since you have to take action to get moved on their blocklist it's very likely you're a real person.

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Gloomy-Employment-72 t1_iuj6zam wrote

Just tried and got a message saying they couldn't complete my request, on any of my three numbers. Hmmmmmm...

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bkuri t1_iuj7klq wrote

The tool can be found here:

https://www.facebook .com/contacts/removal

(had to add a space since the auto mod deletes fb links)

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CuppaTeaThreesome t1_iujboom wrote

They have all your information because other people uploaded their contacts, calendars and everything else.

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nomofica t1_iujby5z wrote

Replying to PowerfulCar7988 (#395,401)

Basically a credit card "are you being scammed?" scam. Enter in your details, reports you're safe... But harvested your credit card info, and 6 months later you've got mysterious charges showing up

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rutabaga5 t1_iujfbm3 wrote

I used to admin a page on Facebook. At one point Facebook forced me to give them my number for two factor identification supposedly because they'd identified me as being a "high risk" for possible hacking efforts due to my admin status. And when I say forced I mean Facebook was threatening to lock my account if I didn't give them my number within a set number of days. Eventually I did give them my number. Almost immediately after that I started receiving dozens of spam texts using the fake name that I ONLY used on Facebook.

TLDR: Facebook very obviously sold my phone number that I only gave them for two factor identification reasons to a bunch of spammers.

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rants_unnecessarily t1_iujg69f wrote

Yeah, they have both of my phone numbers, but still won't send me the fucking two-step-verification code they keep telling me they are sending.
It's a circus everytime I need to login in on a different device.

An no i don't use it, I have to have an account to doa teeny tiny party of my job (fb team admin).

4

chesbyiii t1_iuji8pg wrote

Are people giving Facebook their real names and phone numbers?

I wouldn't trust that company with my preferred toilet paper brand.

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2022userReddit t1_iujk8vi wrote

How of the planet resources have been wasted to create Facebook? And really what is the added value of Facebook? Manipulation? Fake news? Ads and more ads?

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TheVirusWins t1_iujn14z wrote

Since I deleted Facebook I’m pretty sure the phone number is safe

−2

Friggin_Grease t1_iujns76 wrote

Replying to chesbyiii (#401,229)

Fuck the didn't like my middle name and demanded government ID to prove my name was my name.

I sent them a picture of dog shit, and they re activated my account. But now I can't change my name without going through a process.

3

probably_abbot t1_iujuk16 wrote

Replying to CuppaTeaThreesome (#398,748)

Exactly. Any app that pops up and wants access to your contacts is possibly gathering this information. They'll 'help find your friends' on Facebook by matching up phone numbers and contact info they've already collected and have in their DB.

7

badpeaches t1_iujxccz wrote

Replying to iIiiIIliliiIllI (#406,694)

Oh, stewardess! I speak hackerman. He said that he's in great pain and he wants to know if you can help him. I mean, the name of the database is "Welcome 2 Meta". I can see how you were confused with the numbers being used as letters.

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LovesFrenchLove_More t1_iujxrqw wrote

I read that FB mostly only lets people open an account with a phone number or will have it locked right away. I‘m so glad that I don’t use the services of that grifter company. Not that there are enough others that get our stuff (too).

1

Technical_Box_4655 t1_iuk2dsf wrote

All you have to do is meet Zuckerberg in an alley and “suck it out of a hose”

3

BruceBanning t1_iuk95p4 wrote

I feel like this should look more like legislation that forces them to delete all the data they collect from unknowing victims, ideally

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