Social Networking: Beware of identity theft

“How secure is your identity with online forums & social networking sites?”

First we heard about signing over your privacy to the CIA when joining facebook, now we hear that it’s the organised crime groups that we need to worry about. Well, I guess that makes us feel a little safer if the agency is looking out for us?

Seriously though, we are sometimes too complacent with how much personal information we give away online. Details that are on social networking (and similar) sites, can be used to help pull together the missing pieces criminals need to steal our identity.

“What can you do?”

As much as is possible, lock down any online profiles (facebook, myspace, flickr, etc) to be viewable by your friends only; check the privacy section of each site – and as always, don’t action any requests or emails from unknown sources.

Read ninemsn story: Identities stolen with a click

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