Protect Your Profile Online

There are a number of things you can do to make it more difficult for fraudsters to steal your identity from your profile on social networking sites.

1. Use the "privacy" or "security" options that most social networking sites offer. They can restrict the information displayed on your profile.

If you don't select one of the options, many sites will simply display most of the personal details you entered when you first registered.

On Facebook, you can also opt to only display your personal profile to those you accept as friends.

Don't invite anyone you're not completely happy with to become your friend.

2. Only include personal details you would be happy to give to a complete stranger at a bus station.

Just because your friends and family divulge their addresses, email, phone number and date of birth, it doesn't mean you need to.

3. If you do want to include an email address, then think about setting up a free account just for social networking sites.

Most ISPs such as AOL, Yahoo and Hotmail allow you to set up multiple email addresses.

Should you need to de-register from a social networking site, simply delete your dedicated email address.

4. When you register and chose a user name, make sure it doesn't contain any personal information useful for a fraudster.

Even entering a name such as Derek_Marlborough may help an identity thief fill in gaps as they try to build up your identity.

5. Consider entering some misinformation in your profile to confuse any fraudster. Will it really matter if you use a different middle name or date of birth?

6. Make sure you use a different password to any other application or website.

Also don't make it too obvious. You don't want a fraudster to discover your password by guessing it from your interests or family or pet names on your profile.

7. Finally, ensure your computer is protected by a firewall, anti-virus and anti-spy software.

Without them an identity thief could access your computer and see exactly what you're looking at and what confidential information you're entering.

 

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