I just left an e-mail also. I can't believe they would allow this type of search. I'm sure their response will be something along the lines of "we require the requestor to identify themselves" but how easy would it be to lie about that. I'm going to see of the local NBC station would be interested in this.

wyoming had a deal like that many many years ago

you could buy a book almost like a phone book that was all licence plate numbers


look up the plate and it told you the name of the registered person. The county info you could get off the plate as Wyo is the only state to still use a 2 digit county desigination on plates.


I see this info useful for John Doe ahole who swamped you but for the hot blonde riding the jet ski i see trouble


just a town of residance is enough info

What's their email address. Can't let this slide

Post the email address if you dont mind. This makes my blood boil

Here is the link to the Public Information Act. This is their defense for putting the info out there. I knew public officials had certain info that was available but I don't believe the public has the right to your private info. At the bottom is a complaint number if you've been denied public information requests.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/site/openrecords/

Here is a webform for them on their Contact Us page.

https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/feedback/webcomment/?p=%252Findex.phtml

I have no problem showing my numbers, IF any law enforcement officer wants to question me about ANY of my activities. But to be open to any a-hole to find... That is PURE BULL-SH*@!!!!! Why not just put our social security numbers on the boats???

Just emailed them myself. That is complete BS. Just another typical bureaucratic snafu by someone who has their head up their rear end.

But thanks for letting us know about it. Surely they get enough requests to pull this BS soon.


Jay

I"m not saying that I agree with having this information available, but it's not the only personal informaton people can get from the internet. Have you ever googled your phone number? Google it and it will pull up your name and address, unless you have an unlisted number, or it's relatively new. So if you are at a store and they ask for your phone number, the person in line behind you can get it, google it and know your name and where you live.

If you are a nurse, they can find you because you are a registered nurse and that is public information. Tax Assessor - you can pull that up on line and if someone owns a house, they can find you. They can check for tax liens with your address. The list goes on.

Have you ever had anyone forward you an email that gives you a hyperlink that says "this is funny, type in your name and birthday and it will have your picture". You type in your name and birthday and a picture of a gorilla pops up. Ha ha funny, but Guess what - most of those are scams and once you do it, they have your name and birthday and they can get a lot of information from that.

I have a friend in Dallas that is private investigator. A guy in Austin wrote my son a check and then stopped payment on it. To make a long story short, I gave my friend the guys name and phone number. Within 3 days, I got a 25 page report on this guy on where he lived, where he lived for the past 10 years, all his arrests in Florida, Colorado and Texas, his alias's, where he was born, when and where he got divorced, his car, I think his license plate,and so on. It's unbelieveable how much information the right people can get. And by the way, I confronted the guy at his house in Austin when he was leaving for work and I got my son's $100 plus the $10 bank fee.

My point is this issue you raise is serious but it is just one in a million ways people can get your personal information. It's scarey. I hope I didn't bore you and maybe you already knew most of this. If so, sorry.

Agreed on everything you just said. But in no instance you describe was the info so readily available to put our property, or our family, at immediate possible risk.

I have a buddy that is a paid member on a site that can retrieve all of the info you describe from the license plate number on your vehicle. But it is a paid service. Not a government entity.

Jay

yes i agree. this is outrageous that our home addresses and lienholder information can be viewed by anyone who glances at our boat's registration number.

i sent a message complaining about this privacy violation and demanding that they immediately remove my personal information from the public arena.

i encourage everyone to do the same. CLICK on this link --> https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/feedback/webcomment/?p=%252Findex.phtml

If TPWD won't take this online query down, I will be changing my home address to my work address as a safeguard. The boat records maintenance form only requires a mailing address, not your home address, and a change of address should be free unless you want a replacement ID card ($10) with the new address before your 2-year renewal.

But with that said, whats it take to become a paying member

Your having what sinky had.

That a good idea! This has got to stop, we need everyone to email/call TP&W on this.

i found the site and i must say this is way to easy to get my home address on the internet.