An irritating event

I must admit that I did a really stupid thing today, all in good faith, but stupid nevertheless. I paid $29.00 for membership in a search vehicle that purported to search and find various segments of information that were legally available from public records. Or so it said. I put the membership on my credit card account, the website acknowledged my membership, accepted my password, and I joyfully began my search. I first clicked on to death records, entering in the name of a family member who had passed away a little over a year ago. I filled in all of the information requested except the phone number, which of course a deceased person would not have. The answer came back that there was no record found for that person. I tried birth records for a baby who was born recently and who already had a social security number. No record. In deaperation, I typed in my own name, with a request for background information, including my phone number, and lo and behold, back came the exact information I had given the search site. I then tried a neighbor's name, without the phone number. No record. I repeated the request including the phone number, and up it came, the exact information I had typed in. It is a scam, I am pretty sure. The data needed is apparently the phone number. I am going to contest the charge, but have no doubt I will have to pay it. I should have known. At least I didn't give my social security number!
Otherwise, today has gone very pleasantly, with nice warm breezes coming up from the creek and the birds once again flying here and there in our redwood trees down the hill. Except for my irritation with the search website, I have had a very nice day. I have been lazy about writing for the last few days, but will try to get back on track soon.