Clark Howard

Is your birthday on Facebook? Here's why that's a bad idea

You’ve probably heard that what you share on Facebook can come back to haunt you, but there are more dangers associated with your online activity than you probably even realize.

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Your Facebook profile can expose you to criminals

While there is no foolproof way to prevent identity theft, there are certain things you can do and avoid to make it a lot more difficult for thieves to get their hands on your personal information.

We've told you about the dangers of sharing your Social Security number — even at places you may think are safe, such as medical offices, hospitals and schools.

But these days, it takes a lot less for criminals to be able to access your personal life.

Maybe you don't share your Social Security number on your Facebook profile, but many people do share things like their birthday and photos of their new home. It may seem harmless, but every little piece of information out there puts criminals one step closer to having what they need to steal your identity, your money and do even more long-term damage to your financial life.

On top of protecting yourself from criminals, it’s also important to make sure that you don’t share anything that could cause you trouble at your current job or potential job down the road.

So with that in mind, here are a few things you should keep off the World Wide Web.

Things you should never share on social media

  • Birthday
  • Home address
  • Phone number
  • Mother's maiden name
  • Social Security number
  • Daily schedule
  • When you're going on vacation
  • Photos showing inside details of your home
  • Complaints about your boss, job or coworkers

These are just a few examples.

Bottom line: Just assume anyone can see anything you share on social media — or anywhere else on the internet.

RELATED: 13 ways you may be exposing yourself to fraud