- Embarassing ID frauds of the famous
- Are you living in an ID fraud hot spot?
- Check your credit report for ID fraud

They seem like a bit of harmless fun - a way to reach old and new friends around the world, share experiences and photographs and build up a new circle of mates. But social networks may give away more than you'd like, as Paris Hilton has recently discovered.

The socialite heiress favours Facebook to host details of her partying and is canny enough to use the security protections it offers, so access is restricted to her closest friends.

She posted supposedly private pictures of a big night out after the Emmy awards, which were promptly accessed by a Canadian computer expert. Facebook promptly unveiled a security upgrade but the expert, Byron Ng, breached it easily.

It's a timely warning to the millions of Facebook users around the world - and to all of us who use MySpace, Bebo and even Friends Reunited - to think twice before posting anything personal online. So take these simple precautions if you want to carry on poking your mates without revealing more than you'd intended.

1. Be careful how much information you give away
   
   Many people give their full names, e-mail address, contact numbers and date of birth, plus intimate details such as pet names and mother's or wife's maiden name - everything a fraudster would need to steal your identity and make a good guess at the passwords that are meant to protect your bank and credit card accounts.
   
   The general rule is to be very cautious about how much information you give away and who can see it. Use the security settings to restrict access to your closest friends but don't put up anything that you want to keep really private. You may also want to restrict the people who can post messages and view your wall - they may reveal more than you may want others to know.

2. Don't take anyone at cyber-face value
   
   Signing up friends can become quite competitive, with some users accepting offers of friendship from people they don't know at all, without stopping to think that people can and do tell lies online.
   
   The more people you accept on blind trust, the higher the chance that someone will take advantage of the information you post, so always try to double-check potential friends. If they claim to know genuine friends, ask about them. If in doubt, don't accept invitations from strangers.
   
   If you join any networks or groups, remember that all the members usually have access to your profile. If you don't want hundreds of thousands of people to see any personal details, then don't post them.

3. Never share your passwords
   
   Don't be tempted to give out your password to anyone, even to enable a friend to look at your photos or check your messages on your behalf.
   
   Facebook specifically recommends that users never share access passwords with anyone - not even your boyfriend, girlfriend or best friend. There is always a risk that someone will abuse your trust. For example, they might post distressing or offensive pictures as a joke or add personal information you'd rather keep private.

4. Be aware of potential employers searching through your profile
   
   It's also worth remembering that educational institutions and employers have taken to searching these sites to see what you get up to in your spare time and whether your CV matches reality. Some people have even faced disciplinary action because of comments they have posted on their profiles about their job or employer.
   
   So even if you think those photographs taken when you were drunk will give your friends a laugh, think twice before posting them. Be selective with the type of information you display in your profile. If you think it could land you in trouble, then keep it off the internet.

5. Check that your ID is safe
   
   If you are worried about your personal information being compromised via a social networking site, use an online service to keep an eye on your credit report. This is the personal history of the credit that you have taken out, such as loans, credit cards, mortgages and mobile phone contracts. Lenders search it and leave a record whenever you apply for credit, so you can see if anyone has been trying to borrow money or buy things on credit in your name.
   
   CreditExpert, the UK's leading credit monitoring and identity fraud protection service, alerts you by text or e-mail whenever there is any significant change to your credit report that could indicate attempted identity fraud - and if the worst happens, there are free helplines staffed by credit and identity fraud specialists.

You can check your Experian credit report for free with a 30-day trial now.