Posts tagged "Facebook Safety"

Identity Theft of Social Security Numbers Using Facebook

This recent video from Yahoo shows how easy it is for identity thieves to steal Social Security numbers just by using the information you share online. If you share your birthdate, name, and hometown in your Facebook profile, you are already at risk.

Click Here to learn more about protecting yourself online and on Facebook.

John Sileo is an information survival expert whose clients include the Department of Defense, Pfizer, Homeland Security, FDIC, FTC, Federal Reserve Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield and hundreds of corporations and organizations of all sizes. He is the author of Privacy Means Profit and earns his keep delivering highly motivational identity theft speeches.

Posted in Burning Questions (Video), Identity Theft Prevention, Online Privacy, Video Tips by Identity Theft Speaker .
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Facebook Boiling the Privacy Frog (You)

Facebook is preparing to give away your phone number and address to app developers and advertisers.

The frog is officially beginning to boil. Just check out all of the articles swirling around on the internet about Facebook’s latest attempt to release more of your information without your consent. This time they want to give out your phone number and address. They were pretty clear that the reason they want this information is to pass it on to developers of apps such as Farmville and advertisers that want to bolster their profile on you. They released the post late Friday afternoon – so late in fact that many news outlets didn’t pick it up until Monday. Many are accusing Facebook of trying to bury the news.

Here is what was posted:

Posted in Cyber Data Security, Identity Theft Prevention, Online Privacy by Identity Theft Speaker .
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Facebook Safety: 7 Deadly Data Mistakes

Facebook Safety will make headlines in 2011, as it will be the year when identity theft, data breach, cyber stalking and cyber-bullying will move heavily into social networking. Social networking is the perfect platform for these crimes, as it aggregates vast quantities of your sensitive personal information that a social engineer (con artist), corporate spy, identity thief, stalker or regular old burglar needs to take advantage of you. It’s a one-stop data shop. As I speak around the country on information survival, I hear a lot of first-hand accounts of how people have been taken advantage of using their Facebook profile (among other social networking sites, but Facebook is definitely the big winner). Here are the Top 7 Deadly Facebook Data Mistakes (in no particular order, and unfortunately the list is not even close to exhaustive) that I address in my workbook, The Facebook Safety Survival Guide:

Posted in Identity Theft Prevention by Identity Theft Speaker .
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WSJ Article Quotes Identity Theft Expert, John Sileo

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How To Beat The Online Scammers

(A Wall Street Journal Excerpt by Jennifer Waters)

Your pet’s name is a fraudster’s best friend.

You may think you’re giving up precious little when you tell your Facebook friends that you’re dressing your pooch, Puddles, in your favorite color, red, for brunch at Grandma’s on Sunday. But you’ve actually just opened a Pandora’s box of risks.

The information consumers willingly, and oftentimes unwittingly, unleash on social-media websites sets off a feeding frenzy among fraudsters looking to steal everything from your flat-screen TV to your identity…

Too much information can hurt you in other ways. John Sileo, a Denver-based identify-theft expert, says your online chatter could equip an ex-spouse with ammunition for a court challenge. Future or current employers could have a problem with information about your personal life that they deem inappropriate for a member of their staff, he says. You also could be furnishing a would-be stalker with information about your whereabouts. Click Here to Continue Reading….

Posted in Identity Theft Prevention, Online Privacy by Identity Theft Speaker .
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Cyber-Bullying and Social Networking Identity Theft

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With the meteoric rise in cyber-bullying, parents are desperate to find a way to shield their children. Unfortunately, most parents are far behind their child’s proficiency with technology. Many don’t text, aren’t on Facebook, and are oblivious to the many ways in which kids can taunt each other with technological ease. Although children may be quick and nimble with technology, they lack the maturity to understand its consequences.

A recent article in the New York Times on Digital Bullying (read the MSN version here) addressed these very issues and gave true and heart-wrenching accounts of how parents were left helpless at the hands of their children’s online bullies. “I’m not seeing signs that parents are getting more savvy with technology,” said Russell A. Sabella, former president of the American School Counselor Association. “They’re not taking the time and effort to educate themselves, and as a result, they’ve made it another responsibility for schools.”

Posted in Cyber Data Security, Identity Theft Prevention, Online Privacy by Identity Theft Speaker .
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6 Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook

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Yahoo.com just published the following article that every Facebook user should read. I recommend you follow each of these suggestions, and if you want to learn more, read my Facebook Safety Survival Guide.

6 Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook

by Kathy Kristof

The whole social networking phenomenon has millions of Americans sharing their photos, favorite songs and details about their class reunions on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and dozens of similar sites. But there are a handful of personal details that you should never say if you don’t want criminals — cyber or otherwise — to rob you blind, according to Beth Givens, executive director of the Privacy Rights Clearing House.

The folks at Insure.com also say that ill-advised Facebook postings increasingly can get your insurance canceled or cause you to pay dramatically more for everything from auto to life insurance coverage. By now almost everybody knows that those drunken party photos could cost you a job, too.

Posted in Identity Theft Prevention, Online Privacy by Identity Theft Speaker .
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Sileo Discusses Facebook Privacy on Fox & Friends Tomorrow

Don’t Miss John on Fox & Friends Tomorrow Morning!

September 15th, 2010   7:15 a.m. ET, 4:15 a.m. PT

Join Fox and Friends hosts Gretchen Carlson, Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade as they interview John Sileo about Facebook Privacy, Identity Theft and John’s latest book Privacy Means Profit on Fox’s morning show.

Posted in Identity Theft Prevention, Online Privacy by Identity Theft Speaker .
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Facebook’s Law Enforcement Phone Option | Sileo

Facebook law enforcement

Facebook: Press 2 For Law Enforcement

I received an email last night from a well-known TV anchor wanting my input on a new Facebook issue.  He’d read that when calling Facebook Headquarters, the automated attendant comes on and gives you options to reach each department, and the second option was to press 2 for “law enforcement.”

It could seem odd to many, but it’s true. If you call the Facebook Headquarters (650-543-4800) and reach the switchboard, the 1st option is “For customer support, press 1” and the second option is “For Facebook law enforcement, press 2”. Law enforcement comes ahead of business development, marketing, press, and employment verification in the list of options.  When you press 2, the next message says: “This message is only for members of law enforcement. Please note that due to a very large volume of incoming calls, the current call back time is two to four business days. For a faster response, please leave your work authorized email address… A member of Facebook’s security team will email in a timely manner.” Which means that Facebook is very busy fielding calls from law enforcement.

Posted in Identity Theft Prevention, Online Privacy by Identity Theft Speaker .
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How to Disable Facebook Places

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Last week Facebook introduced a new location tracking application called Facebook Places. This gives users the ability to check in with Facebook from their mobile device and update their friends (and even tag their friends) on where they are. What many Facebook users don’t realize is that this tool is currently activated by default, and in order to turn it off, users have to go in and adjust their privacy settings. Until you do that, your friends can check you in to different locations (and you may not even be there!).

Here is the step by step process to disable Facebook Places:

1. Log into your Facebook account, and at the top right drop down menu under Account click Privacy Settings.Once you are in Privacy Settings you will see this screen:

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2. Click Custom (if that isn’t your selection already) and then click below 0n Customize Settings.

Posted in Identity Theft Prevention, Online Privacy by Identity Theft Speaker .
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