This scary prank shows how a free coffee could lead to identity theft

We live in a world where at the click of a button we can have anything we want.

The downside is that we sacrifice a hell of a lot of our personal information along the way. Have you ever stalked a friend of a friend’s cousin on Facebook and come away from the experience knowing what school they went to, when they left their last job, the name of their French bulldog and what they had for dinner last night?

Via Tumblr/Sony Pictures

Investigating people online has become a societal norm and everybody, including your prospective employers are doing it. It seems harmless enough, and can be a great way to while away the day convincing yourself that you’re a social being from the comfort of your own couch. But do you put a price on your digital information? A video by fraud prevention company Cifas shows just how easy it is for con men to steal your identity, armed with nothing more than a Facebook like. In the video unsuspecting customers are filmed using hidden cameras and asked if they would be willing to like the coffee shop on Facebook in exchange for a free coffee. What happens next is scary. In the space of time it takes to make a coffee, researchers in a hidden van across the road have compiled a brief history each person's private life, ranging from their mother's maiden name, to where they bank, and even where they live. Online companies place a HUGE value on your personal data. The heavy hitters in the tech world – Facebook, Google and Apple all use your past search history, recent likes and shares to better target you with more relevant advertising. You can watch the whole video here. We could all do with being a little more proactive when it comes to guarding our online privacy. For some handy tips, click here.