What personal information should never be shared online?
The internet has become a central part of our daily lives, offering convenience, connection, and entertainment. However, with the rise of social media, online forums, and other digital platforms, sharing personal information has become increasingly easy—and potentially dangerous. Whether you're engaging with friends, browsing through websites, or participating in online communities, it’s crucial to be cautious about what you disclose. Even seemingly harmless information can be used maliciously by hackers, identity thieves, or scammers.
This article outlines the types of personal information that should never be shared online, along with the potential risks involved in sharing them.
1. Full Name
Why You Should Be Careful:
Your full name is one of the most basic yet important pieces of information that can be used to access various online accounts, conduct identity theft, or find more details about you. Sharing it online might seem harmless, but when combined with other personal data, it can make you vulnerable to social engineering attacks, identity theft, or unwanted solicitation.
- Risks: Identity theft, fraud, phishing attacks, and online harassment.
What You Can Share Instead:
Use a username, nickname, or initials for online interactions, especially on public platforms or websites where privacy is a concern.
2. Address (Home, Work, or School)
Why You Should Be Careful:
Your home address, or any other location where you live or work, is extremely sensitive. Sharing your address online can lead to physical risks, such as burglary, stalking, or worse. It also opens the door to unsolicited visits, mail, or even potential doxxing (the malicious sharing of personal information).
- Risks: Physical threats, stalking, harassment, break-ins, doxxing.
What You Can Share Instead:
If location is necessary for services (like delivery), make sure it's through a trusted and secure platform. For social purposes, avoid posting location details or check-ins on public profiles.
3. Phone Number
Why You Should Be Careful:
A phone number is a critical piece of personal information that can be used for spam, scams, or even to track your whereabouts. Once someone has your number, they can easily reach out via text, voice calls, or use it to reset passwords for your online accounts. Fraudsters also use phone numbers for "SIM swapping," a tactic where they take control of your phone number and access personal accounts.
- Risks: Scams, phishing attempts, SIM swapping, privacy invasion.
What You Can Share Instead:
Use a secondary number for online registrations or use messaging apps that don’t require phone numbers for interaction, such as Telegram or Signal.
4. Financial Information (Credit Card Numbers, Bank Details, etc.)
Why You Should Be Careful:
Sharing financial information online opens the door to financial fraud, identity theft, and scams. Whether it's through email, insecure websites, or over untrusted communication platforms, exposing such sensitive data can lead to major losses. Even small bits of financial information, like your account number or credit card details, can be used by criminals to steal money from you.
- Risks: Identity theft, financial fraud, phishing scams.
What You Can Share Instead:
Never share your credit card or bank details online unless it's with a secure and trusted site. For financial transactions, use encrypted and verified payment methods such as PayPal, Apple Pay, or other secure services.
5. Social Security Number (SSN) or National Identification Number
Why You Should Be Careful:
Your SSN or national identification number is one of the most sensitive pieces of information you can possess. If someone gets access to it, they can easily impersonate you, open credit accounts in your name, and cause long-lasting financial damage.
- Risks: Identity theft, fraud, financial exploitation, tax fraud.
What You Can Share Instead:
Your SSN should only be shared when absolutely necessary (e.g., with financial institutions, the government, or employers). Avoid sharing it in public or unsecured online spaces.
6. Passwords and PINs
Why You Should Be Careful:
Passwords and PINs provide access to your online accounts, including emails, social media, banking, and more. If someone gets a hold of these details, they can access your private information, steal your data, or make fraudulent transactions.
- Risks: Account hacking, identity theft, financial fraud, and loss of privacy.
What You Can Share Instead:
Never share your passwords or PINs with anyone. Use password managers to securely store and generate complex passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for added security.
7. Birthdate
Why You Should Be Careful:
Your birthdate, when combined with other pieces of personal information, can be used by fraudsters to gain access to your accounts. Many online services require your birthdate for security purposes, and it is often used as a security question for password recovery. If someone knows your birthdate, they may be able to guess or reset your passwords.
- Risks: Identity theft, account hacking, phishing attacks.
What You Can Share Instead:
In cases where your birthdate is required, share only the year or month and year (depending on the platform's requirements) to reduce the amount of information available.
8. Details About Your Family Members
Why You Should Be Careful:
Information about your family members, including their names, addresses, and other personal details, can be used to manipulate or harm you. Stalkers, scammers, and cybercriminals often target family members to gain leverage or cause harm.
- Risks: Stalking, impersonation, emotional manipulation, scams targeting your loved ones.
What You Can Share Instead:
Avoid sharing details about your family online, especially those who are not in control of their own privacy. It’s safer to keep such personal information private.
9. Travel Plans and Vacation Dates
Why You Should Be Careful:
Posting about your vacation plans or sharing your travel itinerary online can make you an easy target for burglars. Criminals may use this information to know when you’ll be away from home, giving them the perfect opportunity to break in without being caught.
- Risks: Break-ins, theft, stalking.
What You Can Share Instead:
Avoid posting about your travel plans until after you've returned. Consider limiting the audience for such posts or use private messaging for sharing travel details with close friends and family.
10. Geolocation and Check-Ins
Why You Should Be Careful:
Many platforms allow you to share your real-time location through check-ins, geotagging, or location-sharing features. While this can be fun and convenient, it can also expose your physical location to people you don't know or trust.
- Risks: Stalking, theft, personal security risks.
What You Can Share Instead:
Disable location services for social media apps or limit location sharing to trusted friends. Use location sharing only when necessary and always be mindful of the potential security risks.
11. Photos of Personal Documents (Passports, Licenses, etc.)
Why You Should Be Careful:
Sharing photos of your personal documents like passports, driver’s licenses, or birth certificates can expose you to identity theft and fraud. Even if you trust the platform or service, once your photos are shared online, you lose control over them.
- Risks: Identity theft, financial fraud, unauthorized use of personal details.
What You Can Share Instead:
Keep personal documents private and share them only with verified authorities when absolutely necessary. Be careful about uploading sensitive images to untrusted platforms.
12. Relationship Status and Personal Struggles
Why You Should Be Careful:
While many people enjoy sharing aspects of their personal lives on social media, disclosing relationship statuses, family issues, or personal struggles can make you vulnerable to exploitation, judgment, or unwanted attention.
- Risks: Emotional manipulation, cyberbullying, exploitation, unwanted advice or sympathy.
What You Can Share Instead:
It’s best to keep deeply personal information about relationships or struggles offline. If you need support, reach out to close friends, family, or professionals in a private setting.
Conclusion
In today’s digital age, it’s essential to be mindful of the personal information you share online. Even small details can be used by cybercriminals to steal your identity, invade your privacy, or manipulate you. Always think twice before posting personal information and be cautious about what you share, who you share it with, and where you share it. By taking proactive steps to protect your personal information, you can enjoy the benefits of online communication while minimizing your exposure to potential risks.