[Info-vax] ZIP+4

[Bill Gunshannon]

On 5/6/19 11:13 PM, John E. Malmberg wrote:
> On 5/6/2019 11:16 AM, Phillip Helbig (undress to reply) wrote:
>> In article <qapkro$asf$1 at reader2.panix.com>, Tim Sneddon
>> <tsneddon at panix.com> writes:
>>
>>> Dave Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> wrote:
>>>> We are using a service via internet for address validation which also
>>>> returns geo location I believe.  Communications are via HTTPS, though
>>>> why anyone demands the "S" for data that is freely available is a 
>>>> bit of
>>>> a mystery to me.
>>>
>>> The data may be freely available, but the fact that you are looking 
>>> at it
>>> can be used as a part of a larger information gathering exercise.
>>
>> Yes.  And, theoretically, you might be the victim of fake data due to
>> spoofing.
> 
> ZIP+4 is totally different than geo-location.  ZIP+4 is for validation 
> of U.S. mailing/shipping addresses.
> 
> It helps avoid typos in mailing addresses.
> 
> IP based geo-location is high risk to use.  The various IP to city 
> databases from the major ISPs and Telcos in the U.S. is at sometimes a 
> total work of fiction.  Some of the services are getting updates from 
> unknown sources to supplement them.
> 
> My work devices go through a VPN that shows up with multiple world wide 
> external IP addresses that are unrelated to my home address.
> 
> The IP address on my wireless phone seems to change to a different 
> city/state every time I change cell towers, so I am continually getting 
> alerts from google that they need verification of my new location before 
> they will allow access.
> 
> My home ISP has a major network presence in Iowa.  Periodically I see 
> that web pages assume I am also there.
> 
> And I have seen other weird stories about how geo-location that just 
> sniffed WIFI addresses came up with very strange results.

Too many people's experience with this is limited to watching
NCIS where McGee can trace an IP Address to the table your
sitting at in Starbucks.

bill