Were you to set up a Facebook profile, would you use it to let your friends, family and others learn more about yourself? Would you talk about your personal history, likes, dislikes and other things that would let people get to know you better?
Consider the following Facebook profile and the information it reveals.
“My name is Bobby Jones, but, in high school they called me, “Slobby,” because my locker was always a mess. My high school? Why, Norman High School, of course, home of the most excellent mascot ever, the Tigers. Go Tigers!”
“My parents, George Wilson and Glenda Alice Jones, were married in Tulsa and I was born at Tulsa’s St. Francis Hospital. My father was named after George Washington, who also happens to be my favorite historical figure. My mother’s father, Samuel, was also born in Tulsa and he and my grandmother, Sue Ellen, lived in Tulsa for many years; I guess you could say I have deep roots in Tulsa.
“I also went to Franklin Elementary school in Tulsa. After that, my Dad got a job in Norman, so that’s where the family went. I remember that Goofy, my youngest brother (his real name is Philip James), cried over us having to move, but my oldest sister, Heather Jane, somehow convinced him that the streets in Norman were paved with chocolate, so he perked right up. We moved the same day that my brother’s first child, Hughbert, was born.
“After we moved to Norman in 2000, our next-door neighbors, the Smith’s, found out that my Mom’s birthday was March 3rd, 1965, the same day as the mother of their family. After that, we were all great friends.
“I got my first car in high school. It was an old ’75 Ford LTD, a giant land barge of a car, but, it ran good and I was glad to have it. My first job was as a carhop at Sonic and I bought the car from my boss, Karl. My future wife-to-be, Kathy May, liked it too, when I took her to the prom in that old Ford. Even though she went to Norman North High School and I went to Norman High, I had put a Norman North sticker on the front bumper, which she liked a lot. It was cool that the day of the prom, April 13, was also her birthday, so we had two things to celebrate.
“After high school, I went on to the University of Oklahoma (where else?), majoring in economics. In 2009, on July 15th, Kathy and I were married, with her sister Sally being the maid of honor. Nine months later (go figure), our first child, Amanda Jean, was born at Norman Regional Hospital. We nicknamed her “Flower,” because she had blond hair like a daffodil. By the way, my email address is slobbyjones@yahoo.com.
That’s the end of my make-believe Facebook profile. It may seem unlikely to you, but believe me, I’ve seen many Facebook profiles that go into even greater detail. It’s amazing what people will reveal about themselves on the Internet, for all the world to see.
The lesson to be learned here relates to the new, “enhanced” security measures implemented by my bank. In order for my online banking to be more secure, my bank set up a series of “security” questions” that, if properly answered, allow you to reset your password, just in case you’ve forgotten what it was. With just a bit more information on hand, answer the questions and, voila, you can change the password to anyone’s account at my bank, not just your own.
Guess what my security question choices were? I recorded them, just so I wouldn’t forget.
Choices for Security Question #1: your nickname; high school; youngest siblings nickname; first car; high school mascot; city of your first elementary school; father’s middle name; youngest sibling’s middle name; first prom date; spouses birthday.
Choices for Security Question #2: your spouse’s high school; favorite person from history; wedding anniversary; hospital your youngest child was born in; city where parents married; hospital where you were born; youngest child’s nickname; major in college; eldest sibling’s middle name; first name of eldest nephew or niece.
Choices for Security Question #3: city where you met spouse; youngest child’s middle name; maternal grandfather’s birth city; nearest neighbor in 2000; mother’s birthday; maternal grandmother’s middle name; maid of honor/best man; spouses middle name; elementary school; bosses name at first job.
If this all seems less-than-truly secure, you are correct; it’s much less than truly secure. The bad guys have taken to websites like Facebook with a vengeance, trolling for all the personal information they can find. With the right information, they are hacking online accounts and literally making out like bandits.
If you use websites that force you to use such lame “security” schemes, the best thing you can do is give fake answers to the questions. That’s right, lie. Your high school? Bozotheclown. Your spouse’s middle name? Xagabud73. Your first car? The Platypus XJ.
I know it sounds terrible, but sometimes, honesty is not the best policy. When it comes to security questions, lie and be safe.