Is it normal for builders to look you up on social media after you've asked for a quote?

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reader270@reddit

Facebook has done this any time I’ve put a new phone number or email address in my contacts. It suggested my dentists as one of the ‘people I may know’.

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If you ever used the Facebook app and accepted it's request to look at your contacts, or you did it on the web and it went through Gmail, then it wasn't a one-off snatch and grab of all your friends' and family's personal info, it's an ongoing thing. If deleting your FB account isn't an option you have to go through FB settings to remove all those permissions.

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No-Structure-8125@reddit (OP)

Oh really? That's so weird. This is the first time it's happened to me. I'd have thought it would've suggested my personal trainer by now then, as we communicate quite a lot.

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lems93@reddit

I think people can choose whether to show based on their phone number or not

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No-Assumption-1738@reddit

It’s possible the use a separate work phone or don’t have that number linked to socials. When I was younger and used Grindr, the moment I’d exchange numbers the person would start appearing in people you may know

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No_Chemist2922@reddit

If you've uploaded personal info online you would have had your profile built by algorithms of these big tech companies. Whatsapp for example is owned by Meta, and if you're contacting builders via Whatsapp for example, it's gonna draw links that automatically connect your online profile to them. It may also be builders searching for your profile, in that case they may be trying to gather more information in order to close the deal or to evaluate how much worth it is. Both are pretty much unavoidable. Builders ARE eventually gonna be in your house after you hire them for the job, so I don't see how that's a problem.

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terryjuicelawson@reddit

It links you by phone number or email, it probably isn't them facebook stalking you.

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No_Intern5991@reddit

They're not looking you up. The truth is probably even scarier than that. The Facebook app tracks your life to a ridiculous extent. It knows everything about you and tries to connect you to people you've interacted with. It's ridiculously accurate. Did you visit the builders websites? There will be Facebook trackers on their website so Facebook will know you've been there. It even works if people interact in person because Facebook tracks your location.

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liquidio@reddit

They probably haven’t looked at your profile at all. Facebook tracks your contacts in multiple ways and often makes suggestions based on it.

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No-Structure-8125@reddit (OP)

That's quite creepy tbh. I didn't know it did that. Tempted to just delete it altogether.

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87catmama@reddit

Yeah it's weird. I work at a supermarket and one of my customers that I'd served earlier came up as a suggested friend. I'm sure she didn't look me up!

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BeaumarchaisApu@reddit

Deleted my Facebook account in 2017 and it's one of the best decisions I've made. If you're not sure, just delete the app for a couple of weeks and see if you miss it. I did this, tried going back to it and realised it wasn't worth it so deleted my account.

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Do_You_Like_Owls@reddit

All Meta apps do it and it's fucking awful. Imagine my horror when I'm browsing Insta and my old meth dealer (ex addict) pops up as a suggested follow!!!

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Baby8227@reddit

My phone has done this with a carpet fitter. I joked with him about it and he said mine came up on his. The algorithms be reaching!!

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Beer-Milkshakes@reddit

Everyone should. FB is a vulnerability.

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AgileInitial5987@reddit

You should. It’s toxic.

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Lopsided_Snower@reddit

Nah, it’s definitely that they’ve looked her up on Facebook

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iffyClyro@reddit

Paranoid? They don’t need to look you up for the algorithm to suggest you might know them.

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PetersMapProject@reddit

Have you saved their numbers in your phone? That often means the apps make the link

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VelinaQuartz@reddit

That’s way more likely Facebook being creepy than the builders stalking you If you contacted them through your phone/email, FB can connect those dots and throw them into “people you may know.” It happens a lot with anyone you interact with, not just builders.

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West_Guarantee284@reddit

As others gave said, it's probably a Facebook algorithm. But you've researched them, why can't they research you?

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No-Structure-8125@reddit (OP)

I've researched their work, not their personal lives lol.

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West_Guarantee284@reddit

But they're coming into your personal space to work, if you put your information on a public forum, i can't blame them for making sure there are no obvious red flags about you.

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ClericalRogue@reddit

Facebook uses phone and email contacts to suggest people.

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Mglfll@reddit

I’m not on Facebook, however if I speak about people I work with, surprise surprise, they seem to appear in my Mrs’s people you may know. Phones are notorious for snooping in on conversations and showing adds etc to things mentioned.

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_Rvvers@reddit

Oh my sweet summer child. That’s not how it works.

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GlasgowImmigrant@reddit

I don't want to joke about it because i understand her concern about men looking her up but its cerainly funny that she is completely overlooking the meta in the room! In this case it is far more innocent than she suspects! Unless you consider meta knowing every detail of your life...

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eight_Ace_@reddit

Delete your Facebook or accept that you’ve agreed to forfeit your privacy. Instagram as well, load of shite.

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Sir_Edna_Bucket@reddit

Facebook's owners, Meta, also own WhatsApp. By adding the builders as contacts you've inadvertently flagged them to Facebook as people you may know.

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Sergeant_Fred_Colon@reddit

Did you contact them through WhatsApp? If so those contacts filter through to your Facebook (its the same system).

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Obvious-Water569@reddit

If you're a woman, I'd say so. It's happened to my wife so many times with various contractors. I fucking hate it but this is where we are.

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AllThatIHaveDone@reddit

Social media platforms will look at your phone contacts and suggest connections based on that. If your partner has allowed Facebook access to their contacts, and they were to add the contractors to message or call them, then Facebook will make the connection. It's not necessarily creeps.

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Obvious-Water569@reddit

Ah yeah it appears I've misread OP's situation. My mistake. Suggested connections can appear with no activity from either side beyond a text message. That's likely Facebook's overreach, nothing insidious. I was referring to actual creeps who try adding as a friend or sending unsolicited messages.

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Consistent-Pirate-23@reddit

It’s literally the fact that Facebook is invasive Just done a huge renovation and everyone has been contacted by me and me only, my wife hasnt contacted any of them. Despite our unusual surname they come up on my people you may know and not hers

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WISJG@reddit

Did you get their phone number? If you have the phone number saved of someone the. Facebook reads your address book and suggests them. They aren't looking you up.

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unclelumbago1@reddit

They are doing the facebook stalking of you, it's best to delete your Facebook, move house and throw away your phone before things get outta hand.

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PapaJrer@reddit

Probably needs a new face and finger prints too.

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unclelumbago1@reddit

Good thinking. Maybe a new name too.

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Illustrious-Log-3142@reddit

Whilst I would be cautious it's likely the contacts on your phone syncing with social media - you can turn off this setting but I can't remember how. I know because the second I added a guy to my contacts from a dating app, he appears on meta suggestions

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Either_Custard_7438@reddit

This is likely Facebook being Facebook and not the dudes checking you out. If you’ve messaged them or had them near you (I.e close to your phone) then it’ll automatically suggest them. Sucks, but it’s the way Facebook works.

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Kaliasluke@reddit

If you’ve got their numbers in your phone and the FB app on your phone, or vice versa, that’ll be enough for FB to connect you

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soundman32@reddit

Then others are probably right about it just being the FB algorithm, but why wouldn't a builder look for you on social media? Maybe you are the kind of person who doesn't pay their tradesmen and they want to make sure they dont get caught out too.

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BillyJoeDubuluw@reddit

This doesn’t automatically mean they went out of their way to look you up. I work around numerous trades and, while I’m sure there have been one or two builders that have found me absolutely drop dead gorgeous in my time, I’m probably a little bit specialist with my dad bod, short back and sides and beard. I’m not saying nobody ever looks anybody up, but I am saying that unless you’ve hired really badly you’re dealing with professional people who are there to do a job. The algorithm has a mind of its own.

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Jayatthemoment@reddit

They haven’t looked you up — your settings allow access to your contacts.

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BeaumarchaisApu@reddit

Or the builders settings allow access to their contacts

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Bksudbjdua@reddit

Did you save these people's phone numbers into your contacts? / They might have saved your number. Facebook knows this and will suggest.

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BeaumarchaisApu@reddit

If it's multiple showing up then I'd suggest it's Facebook trying to make the connection rather than the builders looking you up. I definitely used to have people in the 'people you might know' that absolutely wouldn't have looked me up e.g. someone I contacted once about booking at campsite about three years before I joined Facebook.

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Easy-Plant-8783@reddit

Is it not just your contacts synced with Facebook and Instagram. I have a painter and decorator I added to my contacts and now I keep getting them as people I may know on Instagram I'm sure they are getting me too.

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Wise-Pay-8993@reddit

Facebook is strange if they most likely have called you they come up in your people you may know list

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franki-pinks@reddit

I run an engineering company. You wouldn’t believe how many people I talk to on the phone or via email who suddenly appear on my people I might know list. They aren’t looking for me because I use a completely fake name. Or there’s people who I will hire who turn up on there when I’ve never even used my phone to contact them in any way. Facebook finds a way to link you.

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LichenTheMood@reddit

That's FB being creepy not the builders.

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GuaranteeCareless@reddit

Probably just the algorithms as you’ve exchanged contact details. If your profiles are open then they may of course have taken a look to see if you’re any kind of nuisance or serial complainer. Call it due diligence.

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theroch_@reddit

Cookies on your phone have done you.

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Satansrideordie@reddit

It’s totally normal, I get suggested taxi drivers I used once in foreign countries because I have their number saved

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znv142@reddit

So instagram and WhatsApp are all owned by Meta. I have noticed the same in completely different circumstances - the algorithm detects you are "associated" with someone even if it's just a few messages and then suggests them as friend on Facebook. It happens all the time to me and I am not sure they are not looking me up ( I have a different Facebook name and it would be very difficult to look me up)

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Ambitious-Elk-3350@reddit

If you gave them your mobile number, or they gave you theirs, Facebook probably connected them via that.

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PapaJrer@reddit

Did you contact them via WhatsApp? Ut's common for recent whatsapp contacts to show up on the people you may know recommendations.

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Chimpville@reddit

I renovated my Mum's house for her and had contact with maybe a donze or so tradesmen and many of them appeared on my friend suggestion at the time or since. I suspect I wasn't any of their type.

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Untrustworthy__@reddit

Not a builder, but do tech consulting for small and large businesses. Before meeting with them I do a soft check of their business and social media to determine if I want their business. Maybe it is something like that?

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cocacola999@reddit

Not used fb in a very long time, not sure if it tells you people viewed you. But it does have access to your phone book and call history on your phone most likely. It will have linked up them numbers with registered numbers in FB for the recommendation..... More creepy than builders spying.

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smiley6125@reddit

I get people who I may know come up that I have their phone number. Are you sure it isn’t from that if you now have their numbers for quotes?

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stm2657@reddit

That sounds like Facebook looking for any connection. Facebook is very intrusive privacy wise, as are most social networks.

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kevio17@reddit

It could well be that “the algorithm” noticed you were in close proximity to each other, rather than them looking you up

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