Online Games on Social Networking Sites Can Lead to Identity Theft

I've made multiple posts regarding social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, and why you should keep your private data private. You should be especially cautious with online gaming accessed through these sites. If you are asked for any private information like your Social Security number or date of birth in order to play a game or gain points, this is a clue that there may be more here than meets the eye. There is no reason why you should have to provide this information to play a game.

The teenager in this news report learned this the hard way. He was downloading and playing games online from his Facebook page. One game offered extra points if he filled out an application that asked for, among other things, his Social Security number. The trouble began after he provided this information and his mother received a call regarding his "credit card application."

This is not an isolated incident. Parents need to educate their children about identity theft. Young people who know what information not to divulge online and why will be less likely to fall for a scam such as this one.