Facebook has improved its features over the years, which made it easier to share just about everything in our lives. Though it may seem convenient for us to keep our friends and family updated about ourselves, oversharing is definitely not a good idea.
Our Facebook account is a treasure trove of personal information that we willingly give out to our Facebook friends. However, stalkers and hackers can use these kinds of data to profile us and carefully plan devious acts against us.
Thus, it is better to be safe than sorry. Before updating that information or posting that photo, better check out the list of below and understand how hackers and scammers use them.
1. Birth Date
Sure we feel the need of being bombarded with birthday greetings when our special day comes. However, most credit card and bank companies use your birth date to verify your identification when making transactions via phone. Not to mention most people use their birth dates in their passwords and PIN codes.
2. Phone Number
Unless you are running a business, never ever share your phone number on your Facebook page. Combined with your other details, scammers can devise some swindle by calling your personal number. It may also be used by a stalker to call and terrorize you continuously.
3. Photographs of your kids/ young family members
Although most parents love sharing their children’s photos on the internet, we must also consider what type of information kids want to see about themselves when they are all grown up. Furthermore, if you set the pictures of your child on public view, it may be used by child pornographers scattered all over the internet.
4. School and Schedule of kids/young family members
Children are often the ones who suffer consequences once we give out these kinds of information. You are basically giving out the information to possible kidnappers and child molesters the time when your child is most vulnerable.
5. Location
Many celebrities are now refusing to have their photo taken in some locations due to privacy concerns. It is the same for you, too. When using Android or iOs, your location can be tagged letting other people know where you are in your every post. You’re basically a sitting duck for anyone who would like to do harm to you.
6. Your holiday itinerary
Apparently, some insurance companies would not pay for claims under burglary once you posted your holiday plans on Facebook. It does not take too much common sense to understand why.
7. Credit Card Details
Do not even take pictures with it at all. With the recent photo editing apps and superior quality camera phones, it would be easy for some people to extract information from you credit card in unimaginable ways.
8. Identification Cards
Proud to have gotten your driver’s license and can’t wait to share it with your Facebook friends? Halt clicking that upload button and keep in mind that identity thieves are always in the lookout for these kinds of photos to be used in their scams.
9. Boarding Pass Pictures / Plane Tickets
Sure you would want to gloat on Facebook that you could afford that dream vacation in Maldives. However, just the image of the barcode from your ticket can be used to lookup information you gave to the flight company. Just take souvenir photos instead!
10. Your Facebook Friend List
You can actually prevent other people from viewing your Facebook Friend List and connections. It would be better to do so since it would be easier for scammers to create a fake account and add your connections pretending to be you. These scammers often ask for money from your friends or family members stating that you are in a dire situation.
When it comes to you and your family’s safety, there is no such thing as being too careful. Criminals have also gone high tech and are now using the internet to commit their crime.
Is someone accessing your Facebook account without your knowledge? Check out How to Check if Someone is Accessing Your Facebook Account and How To Prevent It from Happening!
