Image credit Social media is something that has revolutionised the way in which we talk to each other. It helps us to interact with our friends and family, share our thoughts with the world at large and show what we’re really like to those who don’t know us. In that respect, social media is great, but when using the likes of Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter, being too open on any of these platforms can be costly. The cybercriminal’s friend?
When using a social media site, safety is of paramount importance. You might wonder what it involves, but if you reveal too much about yourself, then your profile may be seen as something of a goldmine by opportunistic cybercriminals. With the right details, they could use your information to:
· Help to reissue a lost drivers’ license – they could do that if you share your address, your landline phone number or perhaps if you have a picture of your car with the number plate in view.
· Make a passport application. Again, this is possible with your address, a cropped photo, full name and phone number.
· Credit card or payday loan application – this is possible with the right details, particularly your address.
Keeping sensitive data under lock
All three can be financially damaging as well as humiliating to go through. This is why it’s important to do the following with your social media accounts:
· Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know
· Don’t post your address on any site – just your home city or region is more than enough
· Try not to include anything in your profile pictures that criminals can use to replicate for their own personal gain
· Make sure that your password is ultra-secure – i.e. one with upper and lower-case letters plus a number or two
· Use an internet security program just in case – this can help stop you from downloading any malware from a friend or follower unwittingly
All that and more should ensure that your social media accounts are as safe as possible. Also, it means that if you open account on the next big social site, you’ll know what to do if you receive an unusual request!
