Safer social networking and keeping your ID secure

Social networking sites connect and entertain tens of millions of people of all ages, all round the world. They can even mobilise public opinion in a powerful way - witness HSBC's recent backing down over charges on graduate accounts after an outcry orchestrated on Facebook (see Facebook 1, HSBC 0).

However, according to recent news reports, detailed personal profiles can also be a gift for identity fraudsters. If these threats have made you worry about staying safe when you visit the likes of Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and even Friends Reunited, read on!

A few simple precautions can protect you without spoiling your fun, so you can carry on "poking" your mates!

Be careful how much you give away

Many people give their full names, e-mail address, contact numbers, and date of birth, plus intimate details such as pet names and mother's or wife's maiden name - everything a fraudster would need to steal your identity and make a good guess at the passwords that are meant to protect your bank and credit card accounts.

The general rule is to be very cautious about how much information you give away and who can see it. Some of the sites have privacy settings that allow you to restrict the degree to which you share information, by allowing only your friends to view your profile, which includes your contact information and your photos. Play it safe and allow those who are not close friends to see only very limited information of you. Also, you may want to limit who can post messages and view your wall as they may reveal more than you may want others to know!

Are you sure you're who you say you are? Check your credit reference, credit file, credit score with CreditExpert from Experian.

Don't take anyone at cyber-face value

Signing up friends can become quite competitive, with some users accepting offers of friendship from people they don't know at all, without stopping to think that people can and do tell lies online.

The more people you accept on blind trust, the higher the chance that someone will take advantage of the information you post, so always try to double-check new potential friends. If they claim to know genuine friends, ask about them. If in doubt, don't accept invitations from strangers to link up as friends.

Also, if you join any networks or groups, all members will usually have access to your profile so it's important to limit the information that others can see about you in order to protect your personal information otherwise there could be hundreds of thousands of people who have access.

Never share your passwords

Don't be tempted to give out your password to anyone, even to enable a friend to look at your photos or check your messages for you while you are offline. You should always keep your passwords to yourself!

Facebook specifically recommends that users never share access passwords with anyone - not even your boyfriend, girlfriend or best friend. There is always a risk that someone will abuse your trust. For example, they might post distressing or offensive pictures as a joke or add personal information you'd rather keep private.

07 September 2007 © Moneyextra.com

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