‘If you tell me your date of birth and where you’re born on Facebook, I’m 98 per cent of the way to stealing your identity,’
'World's greatest conman' Frank Abagnale says social network is rich seam for identity thieves. He said children in particular need to be made aware of the serious risks of unwittingly revealing information online…..‘Technology breeds crime.’
‘What I did 40 years ago as a teenage boy is 4,000 times easier now,’ said Mr Abagnale, who is known as one of the most successful impostors of all time, assuming the identities of pilots, doctors, lawyers, and even a U.S. prison agent.
Is Facebook setting you up for identity theft?
"Something seemingly innocent, like posting our birthday on Facebook, can provide thieves with just enough information to access bank accounts, credit cards, sign up for credit and more."
You also give away a few more pieces of the identity puzzle by sharing whom or what you "like" or "follow." When you like a particular store or your neighborhood bank, for instance, you are giving a potential thief one more link to steal your information.
Hackers utilize the following distribution "touch points" to deceive users: malicious links and code, spam, friend requests, private messaging, user groups, gaming forums, videos and music.
"Social networking scams are 10 times more effective in spreading malware than email" is, said George Waller, executive vice president and co-founder of StrikeForce Technologies in Edison, N.J.
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Blanton, who was once a police officer, added that people have always used personal information to commit crimes.
"The Internet just makes it easier," she said. And now social media has provided a gold mine for bad guys.
7 Ways to Avoid Identity Theft Before Facebook Gets Hacked
1. Change your name. If you tweak your name just a little, or use a nickname, life will be easier for you after the inevitable hack.Posted by Jill Fallon at March 21, 2013 8:38 AM | Permalink
2. Stop geotagging your photos.
3. Lie about your age. While it's fun to get birthday greetings on your wall, it's a key piece of information needed to steal your identity. At least post the wrong year.
4. Don't store your credit card information on the site. Facebook has several services that require a credit card. Buyer beware.
5. Have some boundaries. When Facebook asks you where your photo was taken, keep it to yourself.
6. Less is more (peace of mind). …. Go through your timeline and remove posts that provide personally identifiable information.
7. Deactivate your account.
Bonus Pro Tip: Don't use your Facebook password anywhere else. That's making it way too easy for the bad guys.