You'd be amazed at the information people can pull from the internet with a little knowledge and some time. Our recruiter at work can pull up things on people that they don't know about themselves. (Ok, that's a small exaggeration).

Be careful out there... just about everything leaves a trail these days.

I have in the past asked questions like

"which company did you work for during 2008"?  or "what was your position with XYZ"

It simply means you have plenty of info about yourself on line and I am trying to confirm that you are indeed who you say you are.

Lina

Screening is a necessity, however, you need to decide how much personal info you want to give up.
If you've been reading the board than you know about screening sites like P411 and date check.
In the newbie stage of hobbying you have to give up some personal stuff if you want to see well reviewed TER providers or use well known agencies.

Not sure how much you want to hobby in the future, but you need to separate the "real" you from the "hobby" you.  How do you do that? Get a hobby phone, create a separate hobby email account.
Join a screening site, then you won't always have to give up personal info. If you join P411 ask for ok's from providers also ask TER providers for white list references.

If you don't have a S/O or a high profile career, or a lot to lose, like the Secret Service agents, you can be less guarded when contacting providers. However, there is a chance, albeit very small, that in your ealry hobby days, you'll run into provider that doesn't have your best interest at heart. It will take time, but you will eventually develop a little voice, that tells you about danger.  Also there are plenty of hobbyists who can tell you about there one run in with a "psycho" provider.  If you she doesn't have personal info on you, you'll be able to manage that situation much better.  

Now as far as using agency, I prefer indies, but I'll save that for another post. Just enjoy your first experience. Good luck



Agency sounded extremely professional throughout and nothing else was out of ordinary but maybe just naive as a newbie but in this age today is just an email, cell phone, a little employer info open up everything ? Just me asking probably answers my questioned but a little paranoid

post. It is a great refresher of what not to do to keep the two lives separate.

BTW, when can I begin to collect my SS pension? Just kidding; how stupid are these guys to get caught? Very difficult to stay discrete when traveling with work colleagues.