Millions vulnerable to identity theft

According to the consumer group, Which?, people are leaving themselves open to identity theft when using social networking websites such as Facebook.

For example, personal profiles that may include a date of birth, contact details or links to family and friends can often be seen by thousands of people in a Facebook network if users stick with the default privacy setting.

Which? says that fraudsters can use the internet to collect personal details which could then be used to trick people into revealing Pin numbers and other security information.

This information could then be used by fraudsters to apply for credit cards or loans in somebody else’s name.

A spokesperson for Facebook said they encourage users to customise their security settings to a level they are comfortable with.

An investigation is underway by the Information Commissioner’s Office as to why personal information remains on Facebook’s computers after users have deactivated their accounts.

Last year, government discs went missing increasing the awareness of identity fraud.

Neil Fowler of Which? said it is imperative that people take steps to protect their data, both online and offline, by being more aware of how our personal data could be used and taking care who we share it with.

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