Don't take people at cyber-face value

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Social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and Friends Reunited just keep on getting better and better, with more ways of keeping in touch with friends and sharing all the useful sites, downloads and media you’ve found. Unfortunately, this also means that criminals have more and more opportunities to part you from your cash - and even your identity.

Karina Wells was using her Facebook account when she received a message from one of her friends in trouble. He needed help to buy a ticket home from Lagos, where he was stranded.

This was unsettling enough but Karina began to get suspicious when he referred to a “cell phone” rather than a mobile. She twigged that her friend’s account had been hijacked.

“I pretended that I would help, obtained all the details of where he was and forwarded them to both Facebook and the relevant authorities,” says Karina.

But criminals are crafty and will soon learn to use the right language in their messages. They’ll do anything they can to learn as much as they can about you – so they can use your ID to set up credit card and loan accounts in your name or take over your existing accounts.

While you won't mind being poked, you will mind if you’re phished. Take these precautions to stay safe online.