I enjoy Facebook. It's nice to see friends and family and to be able to share our days with each other. The pictures, the humorous one-liners and ability to see the friends that we surround ourselves with are often surprises. But it does not take long for those with criminal intent to seek their prey on Facebook. To protect our customers and friends here are a few basic principles you need to follow to protect yourself and your friends from Facebook threats.
- Don't enter or allow any personal information like birthday's or anniversary dates display on sites that are online. This information is the beginning of identity theft and since many use this information as passwords into the account, the ability to hack your profile. If you receive e-mail solisitations that ask for your personal information it usually is the start of a profile hack phishing for additional information. NEVER PUT ANY PRIVATE INFORMATION FOR OTHERS ESPECIALLY BIRTHDAY INFORMATION ON THE SITE!!!
- Don't use your personal information to create your password. When you know the email that you are using for your account, all that is needed is a few hints and better than 50% of all accounts are a quick hack. If you receive an email of password reset without your solicitation, it usually is a phishing email. Delete it!
- Don't put any personal information such as birthday's of your family members in your site using a family tree application. This information in the wrong hands could reek havoc and harm multiple family members.
- Never post that you will be out of town, on a vacation or away from your home on any site. If you do, you might as well put a sign on your door to take what you want. You would be amazed at the information that is discovered when we do a background investigation. So if you don't mind losing some of your personal stuff, post that you are going on spring break.
- Don't give out or send information of a spare key location, codes or access to security systems or information on how to access or enter your property on any web site or sent in an email. You might be amazed of how many email messages are hacked with vulnerable information offered for the taking.
- Don't display "racy" or sexually explicit pictures on any web site. Often there are sexual predators within walking distance from most households. A simple search from the web usually will show the locations of their registered information. Another problem, many don't register and the information usually is obsolete. Many law enforcement authorities do not have the manpower resources to consistently ensure their current locations and registration.
- Bet you did not know, but your facebook account could be used in a court case so don't put information on the site that would illustrate something you could be liable for. Seems pathetic that I would have to mention this, but something innocent, could lead you into a legal law suit.
- If you do not know them, don't trust them. Many users allow total strangers to become "friends" and then that information is used to put others at risks.
I enjoy Facebook and I hope you do too but use your head and instruct your children of the dangers they can create by allowing personal information to numerous people.
