Eight Safety Tips for Teens When 'Hanging Out' Online; ID Experts Supports National Protect Your Identity Week

Eight Safety Tips for Teens When 'Hanging Out' Online; ID Experts Supports
National Protect Your Identity Week

BEAVERTON, Ore., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Online socializing--Facebook, instant
messaging and texting--is the new "hanging out" among teens. When teens
interact with friends online, they often share personal information that makes
them vulnerable for identity theft. Scam artists are relying on teens to be
impulsive and naive to steal personal information for their own gain. To kick
off National Protect Your Identity Week, October 17-24, ID Experts offers
eight safety tips for teenagers when online, to protect their identity and
their financial future when it's time to apply for that first credit card or
buy that first car:

1. Don't give out your numbers. This includes your social security
number,
driver's license number, debit card, phone card, insurance card,
library
card, medical ID card, or credit card.
2. Don't post your personal information online. Nearly 50% of Facebook
users put enough personal information--including full name, full date
of
birth, address, phone number, or school--to enable thieves to fill out
credit card applications.(i)
3. Don't participate in email or social networking quizzes. These
seemingly
fun personality quizzes can access your personal profile
information--your religion, political affiliation, wall posts--that
could
be used against you.(ii)
4. Don't be specific about where you are or where you are going. Naming
your school, sports team, clubs, or where you work could leave a trail
for an identity thief.
5. Set your profile to "private." Be in control of who can view your
content. Only add people you know to your Friends list. A friend of a
friend might not be someone you know.
6. Use a different, isolated email just for social networking. Never use
the "trusted" email you use to communicate directly with your friends,
coworkers and classmates.
7. Secure your connections. Password-protect your phone. Find out from
your carrier if additional security features (encryption) or software
(a
malware protector) are available. Don't access your social networking
sites or email from public Internet connections or public computers.

8. Be selective about what pictures you text or post on your page. Is it
a
photo you would want your parents to see? Treat your Internet activity
like a digital tattoo. Once you post something, it cannot be taken
back.
Even if you erase the posting, there are cached versions and backups on
servers across the country.

Beaverton, Oregon-based ID Experts is the leading provider of data breach and
identity theft protection and recovery services. For a complete list of tips,
and other resources, please visit www.idexpertscorp.com.

(i) http://clarkhoward.com/liveweb/shownotes/2007/08/16/12548/
(ii) Identity Theft Resource Center, 2009

SOURCE ID Experts

Kelly Stremel, kellys@mackenzie-marketing.com, or Lisa MacKenzie,
lisam@mackenzie-marketing.com, both of MacKenzie Marketing Group,
+1-503-225-0725, for ID Experts