Ten tips for them not to impersonate their identity through social networks

Digital impersonation is one of the most strongly increasing crimes around the world. According to a study by TransUnion, an economic and financial information solutions company, this type of theft grew by 149% in the last year and, in Colombia alone, the increase was 243%.

Most cases occur because the victim exposes his or her confidential information through social media. This was stated by Marito Pino, CEO of Xharla, an agency that recently launched the #PiensaAntesDePublicar campaign. The initiative, which has the support of the Bogotá Institute of technology, the United We Are Stronger Foundation and DigiMente, among others, seeks to raise awareness among users to mitigate this problem. Below you will find some keys to avoid falling into deception.

1. Do not publish valuable documents and personal information on social networks:

It is necessary to take personal care when using technology, and part of that is to become aware of data care. Making them available online without restrictions will be dangerous and could lead to virtual identity theft.

2. Do not publish your location, or addresses of your home or place of work:

People are advised to be very discreet when sharing on their social networks the sites they visit or where they are, as people can take advantage of this information.

3. Set the privacy of your social networks:

Do not accept any friend request unless you are sure that you know personally who is sending it to you. In addition, it is recommended to manage various passwords on your accounts. Try to be creative using combinations of numbers and letters, and change them periodically.

4. Delete profiles you don't use or leave them private:

People who no longer use social media should delete profiles or deactivate them. It is also recommended to leave them private, which will prevent criminals from taking your photos or data to create fake profiles and commit cybercrime.

5. Do not publish information about your children or family because they can be used for extortion or impersonation

Be careful about what information you share online. Verify the identity of the person who asks for it and ask for information to rule out fraud.

Do not provide personal data by email or online, unless you are certain that the site is legitimate. Please review the privacy policies of the sites you visit to learn how the information you provide will be used.

6. Do not respond to WhatsApp messages or emails that ask you for information or that you access links:

It is recommended not to open emails or links, as these may be used to steal information or passwords from your social networks or bank accounts. Also avoid news networks, because they may contain false information.

7. Do not share or publish your social media passwords or emails and banking:

Never post your passwords and PINs via email or social media and never share them. Be sure to change your passwords and access keys regularly. Similarly, build a strong password.

8. Not talking to strangers and not accepting requests from them:

If you get requests from people you don't know, you should find out if they have mutual friends or acquaintances, and you can ask them if they know you in order to make the best decision.

9. Not giving out private information about you on dating apps:

When people enter such platforms, it is recommended to verify users not to give any private information such as: their home address, where they work or passwords to their bank accounts. Investigate if type of people have more profiles or similar names in order not to fall into scams, frauds or theft.

10. Ignore fake technical support:

Many cases of phishing are done through false messages that arrive in your email inbox, where they ask you to confirm your account password, that there will be deletion of inactive accounts. They may also make you believe that your account capacity limit has been exceeded.

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