Ever hear of the Kansas City Shuffle?

Okay...I really shouldn't have to say this - but OH MY GOD!!

In a day and age where personal information is protected from every which way but loose...people are freely giving up some of their most valuable information - and not even realizing it.

Let me make this simple - there are dodgy people out there who prey on our ignorance - and they are clever at disguising it.

I like to recall a movie I once say called, "Lucky Number Slevin"...starring Bruce Willis and Josh Hartnett.  Anyway, the whole movie is set up with the story of a Kansas City Shuffle...that is to say, "when everybody looks left, you go right" - because something bad is happening and most people are gonna miss it!

Still not sure where I'm going with this?  Well, let's just say you've very likely participated in a scheme that looks harmless...but something underhanded was actually happening and you missed it.

For instance, have you ever been on Facebook or wandering an article and then you see a tantalizing post asking you, "Does Your Blood Come From Royalty? You're last name may tell you."  

First off, the answer is likely a resounding, "NO"...but it doesn't matter.  People will flock to those stupid ancestry sites and enter their Last Names, Mother's Maiden Names, Distant Relative Names, etc...and just like that - the information is now recorded.

Ahem...think about this for just 2 seconds...what information did you just volunteer to some unknown website all to find out if you are actually someone special but turns out you probably are not??  And hey...if by some coincedence your name does come from Royalty...what good did it do for you?  Your life didn't change and all your left wondering is where the hell did it all go wrong for my ancestors and why am I not living like Royalty today?!

Let's move on to the, "What was your first Car?" social media happy fun time game that keeps popping up.  

Sure it's funny to see what kind of car your friends had when they were younger...and it may even bring back some fond memories of your first death trap automobile with no Airbags and only a few functional seatbelts.

But...it's also now information out there in the interweb...and you guessed it - it's recorded.

Oh...this one is my favourite, "What was your first pet's name?"

For real - I recall fondly my first pet and it brings me so many great memories from when I was a kid...but even this is something predators will want to document, and trust me, they do....but damnit - I really want to know my rap name and everyone else should know it too!  BTW...mine is Young King.  Ha!

There are litterally dozens and dozens and dozens - probably hundreds and thousands - of these information mining scams out there - it's really hard to say for sure - but before you answer - maybe stop and think first...is it really necessary to volunteer seemingly harmless information?  Do my friends really not know where I met my spouse?  Do I really have to know the number 1 song from the week I graduated highschool?  

The real question to ask yourself is, "DOESN'T MY BANK REQUIRE A LOT OF THESE ANSWERS FOR WHEN I FORGET MY BANKING PASSWORD?"

I bet you feel just a little foolish right now, as I did, when you consider just how much information you've let out that could be used to breach your privacy, your money, and potentially the loss of your identity!

Stay cool everyone and don't forget we are more than just pretty faces around here...okay, well, maybe my face isn't that pretty - but you know what I mean.  Lol.

#keeponbeingawesome.