Many users of social-networking Web sites unknowingly put themselves at risk. Web sites such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter foster the impression that we’re chatting with only our trusted friends, family members or colleagues — but there could be identity thieves, burglars or stalkers taking note. Here’s what not to reveal on social-networking sites…

Addresses and birth dates. Disclosing your home address or your place or date of birth could make you a target of an identity thief. Your home address even could attract a burglar or stalker to your home. If you are throwing a party and need to provide directions to your home, do so through e-mails sent directly to invitees, not through these Web sites.

If a social-networking Web site requires that you include your address or birth date in your account profile, supply slightly inaccurate information.

Year of graduation from high school or college. Knowing graduation dates helps scammers pretend to be former classmates, a common way to win victims’ trust. Also, potential employers could use your graduation date to estimate your age, then reject you if they consider you too old. This violates age discrimination laws but would be almost impossible to prove.

Business contacts. Professional networking Web sites, such as LinkedIn, typically let people on your contact list see the names and IDs of everyone else on your list. An unscrupulous competitor, dissatisfied customer or former employee could send a damaging message about you to everyone on the list. Or a competitor could target your clients if they are among your contacts.

Helpful: LinkedIn allows users to block access to their contact lists. Click “Account & Settings,” then “Connections Browse” and select “No, hide my connections list.”

Also, review your contact list every six months, and remove anyone who you wouldn’t want knowing the details of your personal or professional life… and anyone who you are not 100% certain is who he claims to be.

Mother’s maiden name. Web sites and financial companies often use your mother’s maiden name to confirm your identity, so it’s prudent to keep that name as confidential as possible.

Avoid discussing current or former pets by name on social-networking Web sites as well. Pet names are another common security question.

Your travel plans and schedules of groups you belong to. If you mention the dates of an upcoming vacation on a social-networking Web site… or that you’ve joined a book group that meets every Wednesday at 7:00 pm, you might unwittingly have told a burglar when your home will be vacant… or made it easier for a stalker to follow you.

Helpful: If you post your travel plans on a social-networking site, at least add a sentence that suggests someone else will be in the home… or that the property is well-secured.

Example: “I found a great dog-sitter, and I’m showing him how to use our new alarm system this afternoon.”

Your valuables. Don’t discuss your expensive art, antiques or jewelry. It could make you a target for a burglar.

The name of your doctor, dentist or other health-care providers. If a scammer learns where you receive medical treatment, he might attempt to obtain your insurance information. This could be sold to someone who lacks health insurance, who would then attempt to pose as you to obtain treatment.

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