# OKAY! How does she know my birthday?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-how-does-she-know-my-birthday/70358>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 27, 2001, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-how-does-she-know-my-birthday/70358 "2001-06-27T18:41:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2001, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-how-does-she-know-my-birthday/70358/1 "2001-06-27T18:41:00Z")

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I just got a e mail from the infamous Miss Cleo, with the usual crap about having ana excitig dream for me. But she knew my birthdate?  
Is this easy to find out online?

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**Author:** ![Rhetoric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/41988e/32.png) [@Rhetoric](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhetoric)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2001, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-how-does-she-know-my-birthday/70358/2 "2001-06-27T19:29:34Z")

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Yes.

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**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2001, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-how-does-she-know-my-birthday/70358/3 "2001-06-27T21:06:11Z")

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Perhaps, vanilla, you signed up for a service online, and as part of your registration you gave 'em your birthday.

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**Author:** ![Tenar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-how-does-she-know-my-birthday/70358/4 "2001-06-28T04:20:12Z")

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I don’t know about online, but I believe some states sell CDs of Department of Motor Vehicle records.

Other than that, I’d have to agree with Iampunha. There is big money in selling mailing lists, and I am quite sure that services (and contests) whose privacy statements don’t expressly prohibit them from doing so make extra cash by selling information. That’s why, when it comes to registering for “free” online services, my motto is “lie, lie, lie.” (I’m a bit of a paranoid privacy buff.)

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**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-how-does-she-know-my-birthday/70358/5 "2001-06-28T05:18:10Z")

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Miss Cleo be psychic, donchano?  
Call now fo yo free readin’!

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**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-how-does-she-know-my-birthday/70358/6 "2001-06-28T08:58:35Z")

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Ever been to [http://www.anybirthday.com](http://www.anybirthday.com) ?

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**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/okay-how-does-she-know-my-birthday/70358/7 "2001-06-28T13:07:22Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by curwin \*  
> \*\*Ever been to [http://www.anybirthday.com](http://www.anybirthday.com) ? \*\*

scary.