August 24, 2007
Beware of Identity Thefts While You Social Network
If a random stranger emailed you to add him/her onto Friendster, Facebook, Myspace or any other social network you belong to, would you do it if he/she has a cute mug like this?
Well, an internet security company, Sophos, did tested it to 200 random facebook users, and 41% of people agreed to become Facebook friends with Freddi Staur (anagram of I D FRAUDSTER), leaking personal data.
Sophos Facebook ID Probe findings:
- 87 of the 200 Facebook users contacted responded to Freddi, with 82 leaking personal information (41% of those approached)
- 72% of respondents divulged one or more email address
- 84% of respondents listed their full date of birth
- 87% of respondents provided details about their education or workplace
- 78% of respondents listed their current address or location
- 23% of respondents listed their current phone number
- 26% of respondents provided their instant messaging screen name
In the majority of cases, Freddi was able to gain access to respondents’ photos of family and friends, information about likes/dislikes, hobbies, employer details and other personal facts. In addition, many users also disclosed the names of their spouses or partners, several included their complete résumés, while one user even divulged his mother’s maiden name – information often requested by websites in order to retrieve account details.
As social networking become very common and acceptable even in business world, our identity become fairly transparent. Through blogging people can catch glimpses of your personality or even aspects of your personal life or your clients. Privacy is becoming a very alarming issue when it comes to identity theft.
Here are a few Cindy rules:
As a single woman who had lived with a large group of people and who lived in shady neighborhoods, I am pretty aware of safety issues. Also working as a real estate professional in California, I am very aware with the nature of the business and liabilities.
- When I post before photos of a staging project, I blur the faces of the people in the photos, ESPECIALLY if a child is in the photo to protect sellers’ privacy and avoid potential lurkers finding out who lives in an owner-occupied home
- I don’t add anyone I don’t know as a friend on any social network, especially strange single men who keep pestering me after I emailed back politely and asked “Have we met?”
- I don’t reveal where my real residence is. I use ups mailbox service where my business address still appears to be a real address. Once you put your real address out there, there is potential that new clients can come by and just want to meet you.
- I don’t reveal my personal email address.
I think by working in such a people-friendly business like real estate, it feels hard not to be friendly and welcoming to further my network. However, like any real relationships, whether online or in person, it still needs to have boundaries and authenticity for it to be successful and fruitful.
Cheers,
Cindy
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