Be aware of the information you're sharing

people using mobile devices Cyber thieves use this information to break into your online accounts or even your house. Follow the tips below to keep your posts confidential – and out of the reach of cyber thieves.

Think before you post

Cyber thieves use this information to impersonate you, reset your online accounts and steal your identity or money

  • Don’t post information relating to common website authentication questions such as birth date, high school or your mother’s maiden name
  • Don't post your e-mail address or phone number on your profile
  • Realize that the pictures you post online could tell others exactly where you and your family live, work and play
  • Resist the “I’m going on vacation” social media announcements before your trip
  • Disable location services for your social media apps, if you don’t want your exact location to be captured and shared every time you tweet or post something new

Follow these tips

Control visibility and privacy

Review the settings to learn who can see your profile and posts and adjust the settings to match your comfort level for sharing your information.

Routinely check your settings

Social media services change features and settings all the time and may change who sees your posts. Regularly check your settings to make sure your personal information isn’t broadcast to the world.

Respond to a breach

Change your password if you hear that your social media site has been breached. This happens more than you think – LinkedIn reported an incident in 2012 where 6 million user account passwords were stolen by hackers.