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Identity Thieves Abuse Facebook For Ripping Victims

According to an identity theft specialist based in Boston named Robert Siciliano who's also a consultant at McAfee, 'identity thieves' flock on Facebook the social-networking website to execute their malicious activities. Technorati published this on October 10, 2010.

Siciliano says that miscreants are using Facebook for collecting intelligence so they can unravel the programs that help to reset passwords. Scrippsnews reported this on October 13, 2010.

State the security researchers that criminals are taking advantage of people's growing habit for social networking by setting traps for probable victims. One-half billion people interact with other users on Facebook. They open links to friends' photographs, update statuses, and answer questionnaires. Consequently, identity thieves find these an opportunity to take advantage of the social networking habit.

Disturbingly, the miscreants generate web-links that download computer viruses and worms. These web-links may seem as though someone the recipient has faith in has sent, however if clicked, they unleash malware, which compromises his PC.

According to Adam Levin at Identity Theft 911 the firm which provides resolution services of ID theft, people follow the incorrect web-link, or view the incorrect picture, and unknowingly let some malicious Trojan into their PCs. KOMOnews published this on October 19, 2010.

Says director of graduate studies Russell James attached to the personal financial planning department of Texas Tech University, in case online criminals are able to harvest sufficient information, they invariably take loan in the victim's name and spend them for any kind of purpose. Scrippsnews reported this.

Meanwhile, albeit Facebook has inherent means of security for identifying and informing users in case their accounts become altered, still the process takes so long for starting that by then the destruction is nearly done.

Therefore, Siciliano advises computer-operators to load anti-virus applications as also routinely scrutinize their PCs. They must also exercise caution with the things they post online that relate to their whereabouts. Further, they must make sure that all the other family members realize what is alright for revealing on the Internet and what isn't. Eventually, they must exercise caution in selecting those who'll not leak the formers private information, Siciliano warns.

Related article: Identity Fraud Looming on Users of Facebook

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