Oversharing: Revealing personal data online can be risky

Survey says: “We’re sharing too much” online

• 7 percent of respondents admitted to having shared their social security number over social media.
• 20 percent of respondents provided their home address on social media.
• 15 percent of respondents placed themselves at risk for burglary by providing their upcoming travel dates.
• Consumers also posted additional pieces of information that, taken in conjunction, could be used to target an online account:
  • Close to half of respondents shared their birthdate.
  • 29 percent of respondents shared their phone number.
  • 14 percent shared their mother's maiden name.

Things you should never share online

You shouldn’t share a picture of your social security number card or post a picture of your new Visa credit card or driver’s license. Or do regular check-ins at your bank.

And while some other information might seem harmless, it’s not. Post your full name, mother’s maiden name, pet’s name, phone number, physical or email address, and you’re giving a criminal who’s snooping around your account a wealth of information. They can start to piece together the clues to answer security questions and even break into your financial and online accounts.

Social media platforms encourage sharing and having 500 friends click on your vacation photos is gratifying. But there is an element of risk that may outweigh the reward. If you miss properly setting your security ratings or something else, your post intended for close friends could end up being available all over.

Be smart about sharing

It pays to be cautious about what you do online—and that extends to your social media use, too. Here are some guidelines for being safe:

1. Think twice before posting information publicly. Even innocuous posts can be used by criminals to put together enough information to commit fraud or steal your identity.
2. Be careful about sharing your location when you’re traveling—for business or fun. Otherwise you could tip off burglars.
3. Do regularly check privacy settings to ensure you’re sharing only what you want to share (and with whom).
4. Monitor your financial accounts regularly, and report any suspicious activity immediately to your bank.
5. If you believe you have been the victim of identity theft, contact one of the three national credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian or TransUnion – to place a fraud alert on your credit report. The Federal Trade Comission also has a toolkit with immediate steps to repair identity theft.
   

^* The survey results are based on 1,000 telephone interviews conducted nationally from August 16 – 18, 2013 in cooperation with GfK Roper's Omnibus Service OmniTel. The margin of error is +/-3 percentage points.