Facebook users in Gedling borough are being warned not to gift fraudsters with their personal details.
Recent YouGov research from Equifax has revealed people are making it easy for crooks to steal an identity by sharing too much personal information, including birthday updates.
The research revealed criminals only need your name, date of birth and address to steal your identity, access bank accounts, take out loans or take out mobile phones in your name.
It also showed that a high proportion of social media users risk identity theft by giving fraudsters easy access to this type of personal information on their Facebook accounts
The survey found that almost 30% of adults with a social media account include their full name and date of birth on their profile pages.
Experts warned that even if you don’t publically show your age on your Facebook profile, fraudsters can still work out your age from people wishing you well on your timeline. Once they have your date of birth, they can find out where you live too.
People are now being reminded to review privacy settings and ensure they don’t reveal too much. If you need some guidance, this complete guide will help you keep control of your Facebook account.
John Marsden, head of ID and fraud at Equifax, said: “People must act now to protect their finances for the long term. More adults in the UK are engaging with social media than ever before, especially on their smartphones, and a high number are readily sharing their personal information on these platforms.”
“Fraudsters get hold of this type of information so they can impersonate an individual, either by setting up accounts in their name or accessing existing accounts and stealing from them. The extent of damage can run to thousands of pounds worth of debt being racked up in your name.
“My advice to consumers is to be social savvy; avoid unnecessarily sharing personal details and risking your identity on platforms that can so easily be exploited. It’s always nice to receive well wishes on your birthday – but is it worth the risk?”
