Social networking Web sites, such as Facebook^©, Twitter™ and LinkedIn^®, are great opportunities to connect with family, friends and coworkers. Unfortunately, thieves may also look upon some sites as great places to steal your identity. “Although social networking Web sites are quick to develop new capabilities to attract new users and stay ahead of the competition, some may be slower to prevent their Web sites from misuse,” says Nancy Dodsworth, Officer, Security Awareness Program Manager with Fifth Third Bank. “This leaves the protection responsibility on the user, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

Limit what you share online
In general, the less information you share online, the safer your personal information will be. For example, including your name, birthday and hometown on your social networking site profile may seem innocent enough. But new software can help thieves determine your social security number to an amazing degree of accuracy with just those three pieces of information. If you do share this type of information online, restrict access to just your family and closest friends. You can do this by clicking on the “Privacy Settings” link on the Web sites you use.

And it’s not just individuals who are at risk. Thieves are using social networking Web sites designed for professional networking to access corporate accounts and intellectual property. As more companies begin to create profiles and share information, more are becoming targets for data that can be stolen and sold.

Tips to stay safe
Although these examples are enough to scare anyone away from social networking Web sites, in today’s world it’s unrealistic to avoid them completely. Instead, consider the following precautions:

• Keep personal information off the Internet – In addition to using your information to open credit cards, apply for loans or jobs and obtain housing, thieves scour social networking Web sites for details about where you are. If you post updates about being on vacation, you may become a candidate for robbery because thieves know your home is probably empty. “You need to be careful about what you put out there for other people to see,” Dodsworth says. “The more information people have, the easier it is to take advantage of you.”

• Avoid opening attachments or linking to unknown Web sites – On social networking Web sites, it’s not uncommon to receive messages with attachments or links that appear as though they are from one of your friends. Avoid opening these items unless you know the source. They may contain viruses and worms that download software to your computer that allows thieves to access your personal information. If you are unsure if a friend meant to send you an attachment or link, contact him or her to confirm first.

• Think twice about connecting with people you don’t know – It’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security when using social networking Web sites, but it’s important to remember people often misrepresent themselves and/or turn out to be different from who they say they are. Be leery of strangers or acquaintances who ask for personal information you would never think of disclosing to a person you just met on the street or at a party.

To help keep your personal information safe while using social networking Web sites, Fifth Third Bank offers Identity Alert. Through this service you can access detailed credit reports, credit alerts, assistance if your credit cards are stolen and insurance if you are a victim of identity theft. “It pays to have the extra protection of someone else monitoring your personal information,” says Dodsworth.

To learn more about identity theft and social networking, contact Fifth Third at (866) 475-4201 or visit 53.com.