CAPE CORAL, FLA.- The IRS warns everyone keep a very close eye on our personal and financial information during the holidays, so it's smart to get in the habit of checking your bank statements. But how close of an eye are you keeping on your Facebook friend requests?
This holiday season, that's the list you better check twice.
Cape Coral Police Sergeant Dana Coston told Fox 4 you'd probably be surprised by what scammers can learn about you from your Facebook profile. "Those little bits of information that you leak out in your social accounts could all be put together to create a profile and you could end up being the victim of identity theft."
Facebook and social media sites aren't the only way identity thieves can get to you.
Cape Coral resident, Darren Schielzo, told Fox 4 he's not sure how criminals stole his identity, but almost a year later, it's still happening. "Who knows when it's gonna stop."
So how can you protect yourself? Don't accept Facebook friend requests you don't know, hide personal information on your profile, like birth date and maiden name and check your privacy settings- make sure you know who can see your posts and request you as a friend.
Also, check your bank accounts daily for odd charges and be careful where you share your social security number.
The IRS published a video on how you can make sure your information is safe, check it out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMH8TBeA4lE
