The UK branch of Equifax issued a campaign recently cautioning recipients that they may be in danger of identity theft without even realizing it. The campaign referenced the recent bad weather in the UK and how many stayed in and Facebooked instead of braving the conditions.
They warned of the hidden danger that could result from not using networking sites with caution – for instance including your full date of birth. They warned how fraudsters could glean information from a number of different sources and then piece it together – an address or account details can be taken from discarded bills/ statements combined with social networking information etc.
They also included tips for safely networking; we’ve included some of them here:
– Only put the most basic personal details on social networking sites, making it harder for fraudsters to obtain information necessary to take out credit in your name.
– Don’t include information that is used for common verification – date of birth or mother’s maiden name.
– Set up privacy on your profile so only close friends can view your information.
These excellent tips can be used for your venture into social media – maybe include some of these points in your privacy policy; offer them as a resource on your company Facebook or MySpace page. By looking out for your “friends” they’ll be more prone to look out for you.
