Just recently I became aware of an unintended security nightmare because of social media. It just so happens that the fastest growing demographic on Facebook is women over the age of 50. Ok, so why does that cause a security problem you ask? Since the majority of this segment of the population is married, many women are including their maiden names on Facebook. This way, they can reconnect with old friends who haven’t seen them in 30+ years and have no idea what their married name is. An herein lies the problem.
What does your bank ask for when you call them with a question? You guessed it. Your mother’s maiden name. So if you are in your 20′s or 30′s and your mother just got on Facebook and included her maiden name, you could have a problem! You mom could potentially be helping thieves steal your identity! An identity thief can easily see who your relatives are on facebook with the new “relatives” tag. Something needs to be done with this system fast!
Comment below on your thoughts and possible solutions to this problem.
2 Users Responded in " Unforeseen Security Problem with Social Media "
Unforeseen is right! I use both my maiden name and my married name for professional reasons and never considered the issue you brought to light here. Luckily my son is too young to answer bank questions, but when he’s old enough, he’ll definitely be aware. Thanks again for relaying your experience.
You are welcome Sara. That’s what I do. I live life and work to help others in the process. I’ve never seen any story on this in media, but I bet it’s something the banks need to take seriously.
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