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Identity Theft and Your Facebook Profile

These days it seems almost everyone is on Facebook, even identity thieves. What started as a social networking site for college students has turned not only into a way for adult friends and peers to connect, but for children, parents and grandparents to stay in touch, too.

What most Facebook users don’t realize is just how much sensitive information they are really sharing and with whom they might be sharing it. There are over 24 million adults that keep their Facebook profile completely public in the United States alone. What makes this statistic so alarming is that many users think nothing of listing their birthday, address, work, and contact information on their Facebook page.

How Does Facebook Help Identity Thieves Choose Their Victims?

The information that many users display on their Facebook page is enough for any skilled identity thief to work with. For experienced thieves, a name and birth date alone is enough information to begin doing damage. Considering that many people also list their high school, employer, birthplace, e-mail address, physical address, and cell phone number on their Facebook profile, it makes it almost too easy for identity thieves.

An identity thief can easily us Facebook information to try breaking into e-mail or even bank accounts. Many e-mail providers and financial institutions do protect users by asking a number of security questions before allowing a user to log in or obtain a forgotten password. Common challenges will ask for a birthplace, the name of a pet, their high school or other information that people innocently post on their Facebook profile.

The information that people include in their status updates may also put users at risk. Many Facebook users update their status to let others know what they are doing or how they are feeling throughout the day. Giving Facebook friends too much information about daily schedules can put users at risk of robbery or other crimes.

How Can Facebook Users Protect Themselves?

The best way for Facebook users to protect themselves is to limit the information they share with others. Fortunately, Facebook offers users a range of privacy settings. Users can make their profile private and limit the information that others will see. Users should avoid disclosing some kinds of information entirely. Displaying your employer, address, birthday, or birthplace is too risky.

Users should also be selective about who they allow to be Facebook friends. Unless a person is known other than through Facebook, one can never be certain of their intentions. To protect against identity theft, users should be as careful with their personal profile and other information posted anywhere on Facebook as they would in real life.

If you have been a victim of identity theft, contact Advantage CCS today. Our experienced team can help you begin to rebuild your life and put you financial life back on track.