Identity theft: the modern demon

Fears are emerging that the popularity of networking sites are increasing our susceptibility to identity fraud.

Recent reports have raised concerns that the popularity of internet networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Bebo amongst adults as well as children has increased the availability of information available easily to fraudsters. In thinking that only friends are going to see their information people are likely to include their email address, locality, occupation, as well as family details in their personal information page. However it is not difficult for hackers to access this information without being ‘a friend’, meaning that all the information someone needs to steal an identity is available at their fingertips.

This danger is not highlighted enough to networking site users, and there have been calls by credit information group Equifax to make sure they are. They are advising people to restrict the amount of information they reveal on these websites to prevent people being able to open accounts, mortgages and other such entities in their names. In a move that has attracted even further fears, experts have claimed that it is now possible to hack into the new-fangled Apple iPhone, meaning security is at an even further all-time low. Dr Charles Miller of Independent Security Evaluators (ISE) who carried out this experiment on the iPhone has said that it is possible to hack in to a person’s address book, text messages, call history and voicemail by using a certain website or rogue wi-fi connection giving out pivotal information about a person’s life. Users are being cautioned to only use websites and wi-fi connections they trust and under no circumstances to open weblinks in emails.

These precautionary measures with both networking sites and iPhone, amongst other entities, will hoepfully alleviate the surge in identity fraud which is sweeping the nation, affecting 80 000 people in Britain last year and causing a deficit to the country’s economy of £1.5 billion. Experts do not want people to stop using the latest gadgets technology has to offer, they simply want people to be more aware when they are using them and not put themselves under unnecessary risk.

Sources:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6910826.stm (22nd July 2007)

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/personal_tech/article2125085.ece (23rd July 2007)