Facebook Crime 101

Beware of what you post on Facebook. Criminals could be using that information to target you for theft! Think about it. How many of your Facebook friends talk about their new flat screen TV or post pictures of the Jamaican vacation they’re on? A new report says criminals are using this information to find their next targets. Michael Fraser is a former burglar who helped put the report together. He says it works like this: The bad guys will send out hundreds of friend requests on Facebook and Twitter, and see who bites, which is a lot of people. 13% of people on Facebook and 92% of people on Twitter will accept a request, no questions asked. Once they have access to your personal profile, Fraser says they’ll follow you closely and wait for you to post something about a new gadget you bought or an upcoming vacation. Then they make their move.

Some Facebookers make it really easy for crooks. They post party pictures that clearly show the interior of their homes. Fraser says this gives criminals a leg-up when they’re breaking in. Almost 10% of men actually post their HOME ADDRESS on their profile! Women are a little smarter, only 4% of women post addresses. Think about this: There are just over 15-million women on Facebook in North America. That means over 600,000 women are posting their personal home addresses for anyone to find!

So, who’s the worst offender when it comes to posting personal details online? Teens and young adults. According to the study almost two thirds of people between the ages of 16 and 24 are posting where they’ll be and when, on their Facebook page. This same age group is also more likely to accept a friend request from a total stranger. Not a good combo. So don’t let yourself become a target. Don’t ever accept a stranger’s friend request and keep private information private. If you want to catch friends and family up on a vacation you’re taking or a new entertainment system you just bought, send out an email from your personal account. That way you’ll know exactly who has access to the information.