Be careful what you put on Facebook…

It’s not the first time we’ve heard this advice but sometimes we get carried away and want to share our holiday photos or let people know we’re lucky enough to be heading away for the weekend.

But now it’s been revealed that Facebook users could face losing claims against banks and insurance companies because they are said to be inviting fraudsters to scam them by posting so much personal information online.

Anyone burgled after advertising holiday plans on social networks, or scammed after indirectly leaving clues about their accounts and passwords online, could find they are left completely out of pocket.

Something as simple as ‘checking in’ on Facebook and telling people you’re at the airport waiting for your flight to Faroe could hamper your chances of claiming insurance when your house is robbed in your absence.

Simply posting a photo of your new car or details about which phone network you use is enough for some scammers to hack our computer and steal your bank details within minutes, experts say.

Avoid posting a photo with details of your new car online.

They warn that hackers are finding it easier than ever to commit identity fraud when so much of our personal information is displayed online for all to see.

Online fraud is costing banks and insurance companies a substantial amount of pay-outs every year.

Now, experts tell the Daily Mail the insurance companies are expected to start taking into account the streams of information willingly publicised by people on social networking websites when analysing claims within the next year.

Alessandra Quartucci, Head of Saving at confused.com, said; “At the moment banks do not check a claimant’s personal social network information.

“However, we wouldn’t be surprised in the future if this did change as people are making this information more and more accessible.

“The words and images you post on the internet can be viewed by hundreds, even thousands, of people and sharing too much information on social networking sites can be a financial disaster.

“It is the debit and credit card owner’s responsibility to make sure their cards are kept in a safe and secure place, and telling everyone you’re not home does not make your house a safe place.”

Oliver Crofton, director of online security company Vigilante Bespoke said companies will likely start analysing people’s online presence in the next year.

“Hackers now use a more targeted approach, digging deeper and using social media,” he said.

“People put an alarming amount of personal information on different sites and everything you update, you broadcast to the world.

“This is costing the banking industry so much at the moment that it is an inevitable development that they will get stricter.

“If you get burgled and you had 'checked in' at Heathrow a few days before on Facebook, insurance companies will make it hard for you to claim your money back.

With just some details from online posts, hackers are as effective as if you'd handed them your credit card.

“One friend of mine recently updated his status to say he was annoyed with his phone network. A hacker could easily use that information to then get hold of your email address and send an email which looks official saying, “we’re sorry you have had a bad experience, please click on this link for some money back''.”

Mr Crofton carried out an investigation into online security for men’s magazine, Men’s Health. He gives one example of a man who faced losing thousands of euro because he posted a picture of his new car on Facebook.

Using the number plate and tax disc information visible in the photograph, together with an email address the person had posted on a LinkedIn profile and a home address found on an official website, hackers were able to send the man an official-looking document, which appeared to be asking him to renew his tax disc.

When he clicked on a link provided in the email, the victim’s computer was infected with a virus which allowed the hackers to monitor everything he typed on his computer, including bank details and passwords.

Experts say we have to think twice before we post something online and ask ourselves, “Would I care to share this information in another open environment?”