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6 ways to protect yourself on Facebook

6 ways to protect yourself on Facebook

Seems as though a new scam is coming out for every new member that joins the site. While it’s best to stay vigilant and read up on the latest scams to avoid, there are a few other tips that will keep you ahead of the game, protecting your profile 24 hours a day.

With all of your personal information and photographs posted on Facebook, the last thing you want is to find that your account has been hacked or accessed without your permission. We’ve put together a list of ways that you can protect yourself from the latest scams, making sure that your Facebook account is never compromised.

Follow The Sophos Blog

Antivirus developers, Sophos, report on the latest Facebook phishing scams practically on a daily basis on their blog, Naked Security. There seems to be no limit to the rogue applications preying on people’s curiosity, or the desire to activate certain features on their Facebook profiles through these apps. Sophos is one of the best sources today when it comes to Facebook scams.

ie 9

See my article posted today here. Turns out it’s the safest browser to use for Social Networking sites!

SafeGo

BitDefender’s SafeGo is a Facebook application designed to keep users aware and protected from spam and any kind of threat that might be floating around Facebook. SafeGo scans your profile for any suspicious links, and you also have the option of allowing the app to automatically post a comment to your wall when a threat is detected.

Facebook Security

Another place to find tips and tricks to stay safe on Facebook comes directly from the source. Facebook’s Security page is constantly being updated with ways to protect your account.

Look For The Signs

Aside from all of these tips and tricks, the most important thing that any person can do is use common sense. See who it was that posted the link and ask yourself how likely it is that they would share something that begins with OMG You won’t believe this! or would they really write to you, through Facebook of all means, if they were stranded in a strange city?

If you receive emails that claim to be from Facebook, always analyze the email address they came from and the link they want you to click. Facebook notifications always come from Facebookmail.com.

What To Do If You Unwittingly Clicked That Link?

If you feel that you may have been the victim of a Facebook phishing scam, the first thing you should do is change your Facebook password. If you’ve linked your Facebook account to other online services, it would probably be best to change the passwords to those services as well.

If you’ve granted permission to an application, you can revoke permission through your privacy settings. Navigate to your Privacy Settings, and at the bottom of the page, click ‘Edit your settings‘ under Apps and Websites.

You will be taken to a page featuring the latest apps you’ve authorized. Click the ‘Edit settings‘ button.

From there you can delete any apps that you have mistakenly authorized by clicking the small ‘x’ next to the app.

How do you keep your Facebook profile safe? Have you been the victim of any phishing attacks? How did you deal with it?

Let me know in your responses.

129,326 views 63 replies
Reply #26 Top

It doesn't "add up" so if you post, protect yourself!

Reply #27 Top

Quoting Uvah, reply 23
Here's an interesting question. Why did they call it Facebook? When I first heard about it visions of a face opening and looking inside to see the person's gray matter. Weird.
End of Uvah's quote

If you're not just joking...they took the name from the directories some colleges make for incoming students.

 

Reply #28 Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 5



Quoting aeligos,
reply 4

With all of your personal information and photographs posted on Facebook, the last thing you want is to find that your account has been hacked or accessed without your permission.
Facebook.

....Myspace.

......And all others likewise site.

Seriously.  Who in their right mind would enter 'personal' information and photographs on such sites?

I do have one fb account but nothing else...and my address there is "616 up yours street; your momma's town; one plate on planet earth; 61616".  I don't even have my real name anywhere on that site.  OH and to top it off, such information is set to private (ie by permission only).

Do people really enter all that information???

That is just UNBELIEVABLE!

-.-


Depends on which generation you're from. The young and teenagers seem to have little regard for it... until a disaster happens.

Take a look here.
End of DrJBHL's quote

Well, im not a teenager anymore , :(, but im not "old" either, and i remember back in the myspace days, i wouldnt enter any information back then either.

Reply #29 Top

Have no desire to do the Facebook thing..... keep saying to young people I know on it.... would you type out all that info on yourself... with those photos..... and pin it to your front door for everyone to walk past and see?...  hell no they say... well... what's the dif....  :-|

 

The only reason I've felt tempted... is my old boarding school mates have started up a Facebook account for people to upload old school pics and tell stories of back in the day.... for which you have to have an account.... I'm torn... but still resisting...

Facebook seems to have their fair share of morons on there.....   wow...  :-|     link...

Reply #31 Top

Folks.... I neither espouse nor reject facebook membership for others.

The OP is only about protecting yourself while there.

Reply #32 Top

DrJBHL: It may be slightly off-topic, but I'm curious; what are your thoughts on "online banking"?

Reply #33 Top

Quoting Philly0381, reply 2
The best way, stay off of Facebook.  One day, when you aren't paying attention, someone will pull a 'Gotcha' on you.
End of Philly0381's quote

This one gets my vote!

I have 2 observations though.

#1 - IE9?  I got to check out your article!  That "sounds" like an oxymoron!

#2 - For those so inclined to use social networking sites, keep your personal info under tight lock and key!  I guess the naivete' of their origins makes people forget about ID Theft.  Who really wants to steal the ID of a teen?  But if you leave that stuff up there as you go out and actually start gaining some wealth/experience/Credit Stature - you leave yourself open to ID theft since the source of many of the "unlock keys" of sites can be garnered from the bio information left on those sites. And while that prank you played back in high school got you voted "most popular" or "funniest". it is probably going to cost you a job if you leave it on your site where employers can browse it.

Reply #34 Top

Quoting myfist0, reply 30
Glad I am not the only one that thinks facebook sucks
End of myfist0's quote

No, you are not.  But then those of us NOT on it are not sitting around writing on walls or posting links about it either.

Reply #35 Top

Quoting sydneysiders, reply 29
Have no desire to do the Facebook thing..... keep saying to young people I know on it.... would you type out all that info on yourself... with those photos..... and pin it to your front door for everyone to walk past and see?...  hell no they say... well... what's the dif.... 
End of sydneysiders's quote

The dif is, on Facebook you can control who sees your fotos (and any of your info/actions) and who doesn't. In Real-Life (tm) (on your frontdoor) you can't....

Reply #36 Top

I love Wincustomize, but one thing I've noticed is that paranoia runs rampant on this site.  Why do I care if a stranger sees a picture of me on the web?  Strangers see my face in person everyday every time I leave the house.  Obviously, you wouldn't put things like your SSN or bank info on Facebook, but the stuff they ask for and the stuff most intelligent people will share is harmless.  I have 4 siblings who live in Massachusetts, New York, California and Germany.  I live in Ohio.  Facebook is a fantastic way to stay connected on many platforms.  And regardless of the paranoia, unless you're an idiot and share REAL sensitive information, it's harmless.

Reply #37 Top

Quoting Victor5, reply 32
DrJBHL: It may be slightly off-topic, but I'm curious; what are your thoughts on "online banking"?
End of Victor5's quote

I think it's potentially dangerous.

Reply #38 Top

Why do I care if a stranger sees a picture of me on the web?
End of quote

Your picture can be used. The truth is though, you're 'photographed' a number of times every day.

I love Wincustomize, but one thing I've noticed is that paranoia runs rampant on this site.
End of quote

I'd say caution, or excessive caution at times, but that comes from individual perception. We are never able to experience what the other has, so understanding is difficult, and acceptance even more so.

Reply #39 Top

Quoting RPGFX, reply 36
I love Wincustomize, but one thing I've noticed is that paranoia runs rampant on this site.
End of RPGFX's quote

Agreed!

But not just on this site. It's more in general.

Reply #40 Top

Don't be an idiot.  That's how to protect yourself on facebook.  And nobody gives a rats ass what you are making for dinner either.

Reply #41 Top

Quoting natas2, reply 40
Don't be an idiot.  That's how to protect yourself on facebook.  And nobody gives a rats ass what you are making for dinner either.
End of natas2's quote

/Redacted under protest./ Countless corporations want to know what you are making (or ordering) for dinner, especially if they can connect that data with your rough income level and a half-jillion other target market metrics.

Facebook isn't free. It aims to earn mega-money by helping you make yourself (and others like you) more vulnerable to marketing techniques. You show them your shopping soft spots, and they 'give' you just one among many ways to stay in touch with friends. Along with a chance to become an online exhibitionist whether you meant to or not.

Reply #42 Top

My original post didn't help any. Fortunately there are wiser heads than mine. Lets not let it get out of hand okay ... okay.

Reply #43 Top

Please let's cool down. This thread is only to help folks protect themselves.

I don't want any unpleasantness on my thread.

Reply #44 Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 20
I found it really difficult to refuse to join. Old High School friends and folks from here.... I just did. Not sorry I did [yet],...
End of DrJBHL's quote

Yeap. Same Here.

I've taken more than adequate precautions... so I do not feel insecure about it.
End of quote

Again, Same here.
Besides, how could I pass up on commenting on Smedley's "adventures" in ER's?
End of quote

And there's never a dull moment.

XD

Reply #45 Top

I don't go on Facebook. Or any other chat line. I tried it once. Blah... Maybe I was just at the wrong place. But, I also enquired if they had drowned their Chia pet yet. {immerse in water before use}  Seems alot of people don't know what a Chia pet is.... hehehe

I only joined to check out Bunk Howser. ;)

 

Reply #46 Top

I know what a Chia pet is. Problem was I watered it too much and I got a mini rain forest.

Reply #47 Top

Countless corporations want to know what you are making (or ordering) for dinner, especially if they can connect that data with your rough income level and a half-jillion other target market metrics.
End of quote

This is what I don't understand.  Why is this a problem?  So I post on Facebook that I'm having Lasagna for dinner... the next day there's an ad on the site for an Italian restaurant.  So?  How does this harm me in any way?  I don't see what the problem is with targeted marketing.  To be quite honest, if there's gonna be ads, I prefer they be ads for something that interests me.  So if Facebook is using my information to target my interests... good!  I am actually wearing a Celtics shirt right now that I only found online because it showed up as an ad on Facebook since I talk about the Celtics so much.  I'm glad that happened, I love the shirt!

Reply #48 Top

RPG....what if you were constantly talking about the death of a loved one and consequently got quaint discount "You plug 'em we plant 'em" offers?

Unsolicited advertising is spam.  Targetted unsolicited advertising is insidious spam.

They aren't providing a service to you...they are sucker-bait for impulse buying.

If you like what you got...fine...but it's only a "service" to the naive.....;)

Reply #49 Top

Unsolicited advertising is spam. Targetted unsolicited advertising is insidious spam.
End of quote

I wouldn't call the advertising on Facebook unsolicited. Advertisements on Facebook are there. We solicit them the minute we sign up for Facebook. Just as signing up for an emailing list makes the subsequent advertising emails solicited.

They aren't providing a service to you...they are sucker-bait for impulse buying.
End of quote

If I make an impulse buy because of an ad, that's on me. You can't blame the advertiser for that. I'd rather have my ad space on Facebook filled with ads for guitars and Celtics stuff then Snuggies and Twilight slippers.

I'm just saying if the ads are gonna be there... and they're GONNA BE THERE... then why not make them more interesting to me?

Reply #50 Top

For civility's sake, I'll shelve the whole question of whether advertising is immoral or not. I love Mad Men, but have a hard time talking about advertisers for very long without getting rude.

The other part of my objection to operations like Facebook is that they are making money by collecting and selling data about specific individuals. That data about you should be yours unless they enter into an explicit agreement and make clear the compensation you are receiving in exchange for the valuable commodity (tracking data on an identifiable customer) that you are providing. Whether you find targeted ads handy or creepy is a different question.