Keep Safe On Facebook

Being safe on a social networking site like Facebook or Myspace should be a top priority for every user.  Not everybody realizes that these sites are prime patrolling grounds for identity thieves.  We give up information so freely these days, not enough people think about the consequences.  You have to remember that the internet is a public place.  You shouldn’t  be posting anything there that you wouldn’t mind telling a perfect stranger.

So be mindful of the basics, and of your own common sense.  You wouldn’t want just anybody to have your mobile number, so be careful about posting it on your site.  A person can learn a lot from those ten numbers, usually including enough information to steal your identity.  It’s also good policy to avoid using your real full name.  That’s just asking for a thief to try and steal your information.

Remember another tactic that a thief can use against you, is to create a social networking profile using your name.  Through this they can solicit information from people you know, by posing as you.  So make sure you do a people search on your name every so often.  Be sure that nothing seems out of place.  It’s much better to be safe than sorry.

Familiarize yourself with common scamming practices.  Such as emails asking for personal information.  People you don’t know asking to be friends, then asking for information about you.  Any of these could be scams, so be careful of the information that you freely give out.  That information you give now could really hurt you later.

Finally, keep the contact information of your social networking sites on hand.  Save the telephone contact numbers, as well as email support.  If you find anything out of whack, like duplicate profiles, or someone is harassing you for information, contact the website.  They will be able to take action to protect your information, and help you in any way.