With the hundreds of millions of people using social networking tools like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter growing increasingly vulnerable to identity theft, CyberScout (www.cyberscout.com), America’s leading identity theft resolution and education services provider, has released a new report, “The Digital You: Securing Your Identity in the Cyberworld,” designed to educate users about the dangers of identity theft as well as offer tips on how to safeguard one’s online identity.
The report includes insights from a number of privacy and security experts, and explores real-life cases of people who saw their identity compromised via social media. Highlights include:
- Shawn Tempesta*, host of FOX Providence (R.I.)’s “Rhode Show” and a Boston radio personality, and a recent victim of identity fraud himself;
- Commentary by personal security consultant Robert Siciliano;
- An editorial by CyberScout founder Adam Levin*;
- Tips from Facebook on how to safeguard your identity online; and
- A list of common scams on social networking sites and how to protect your account.
- *CyberScout experts and other people highlighted in the report are available for interviews based on availability.
“Social media applications are great tools for connecting with people throughout the world, but we need to make sure they aren’t connecting us with criminals,” said Matthew Cullina, CEO of CyberScout. “As our report shows, social media users need to exhibit caution, take everything with a grain of salt, and be extremely careful when posting personal information.”
As social media use continues to grow, the threat of identity theft rises along with it. The report concludes that consumer awareness is one key to helping to curb the crime. Readers will be able to spot common scams and will be able to identify the red flags that accompany them.
In the report, which also includes an article entitled, “The Net has a Thousand Eyes,” CyberScout offers these tips from Facebook for protecting one’s online identity:
- Use an up-to-date browser that features an anti-phishing blacklist. Examples include Internet
- Explorer 8 or Firefox 3.0.10.
- Use unique log-ins and passwords for each of the Web sites you access.
- Check to see that you’re logging in from a legitimate Facebook page with the facebook.com domain.
- Be cautious with any message, post or link you find on Facebook that looks suspicious or requires an additional log-in.
If you’ve had a security issue with your account, reset all accounts (not just Facebook) that use the same credentials (log-in passwords). If a user is compromised on Facebook and has the same log-in and password for their Gmail account, the attacker may be able to intercept the Facebook password reset through Gmail and compromise the account again.
The report can be downloaded at www.identitytheft911.org. As one of the leaders in identity thefteducation, CyberScout releases one comprehensive report each month, along with a number of other articles, news alerts, tips and other educational materials.
