There's always a news story about phishing and other identity scams in the news. Lately, those scams seem to focus on social networking apps, like Facebook and MySpace. In most of the stories, a phishing email is used to try to capture personal information, but viruses are circulating designed to do the same thing.
What you may not realize is how much information you're unknowingly providing to identity thieves through your social networking profiles. Social networking apps are cool, but you should use caution if you take part in these communities.
Here are five areas you should be especially cautious about:
1. Your Name
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Oddly enough, your name isn't the most crucial point of data in identity theft, but it does give identity thieves a place to start. Many times, a web search for a name turns up all the information that an identity theft needs, especially if that thief is willing to shell out a few dollars for a background report.
The solution: Use only your first name or use a nickname. Never provide your full name unless you're certain it can be cloaked, and even then, think seriously about it before you do. Criminals could hack into your account and steal the information, even if it's not made public.
2. Where You Live
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Social networking sites often ask for your location when you create an account and this information is usually displayed for other users to see. Identity theives can snag this information when using the Web and it won't take them more than 2 minutes to find your physical address.
The solution: Use a bogus location. You can make one up or choose some other city and state. In some services, you can also leave this blank. Whatever you do, be cautious. And never use a city and state you've actually lived in.
3. Date of Birth
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This is another item that's usually requested when you sign up for a social networking site. It's also one more piece of information that an identity thief can use against you. Sure, it's cool when all of your community friends send you birthday greetings, but is it really worth the risk?
The solution: Provide a bogus date of birth. It's not nearly as fun, but you can rely on your real world friends to send you cool birthday greetings and then rest easy knowing that you're protecting your identity online.
4. City of Birth
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Here's an item that's often used as a security validation question, and it's sometimes included in your profile information. Identity thieves value this information because it allows them to set up new accounts or access and change existing accounts. In a word: dangerous!
The solution: Make up a fictitious city, far away for where you were actually born. And make it in a state you've never lived in. No one knows you made it up but you, and it keeps your true information safe.
5. Maiden Names
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Another security question is often "What is your maiden name?" Or "What is your mother's maiden name?" It's a fact that identity thieves can acquire in a variety of ways: from hacking you social networking profile, from genealogical requests, or from a birth certificate obtained by request from your state of birth.
The solutions: No need to make it easy for an identity thief. Make up a maiden name to use on profiles online that's completely unrelated to your family history, and be very careful about the genealogical information that you post in forums, even if they're private.