Risks of Oversharing

Cybercriminals can use personal information to get into online accounts, and sometimes pretend to be the owner of that account.

Personal information, such as credit card details, might be used for unauthorised purchases, getting loans or draining bank accounts.

When you share personal information, you could become a target for even more scams. Scammers might try to trick you into giving them more sensitive details or clicking on harmful links, putting your online safety at risk.

Sharing personal information may make individuals more vulnerable to online harassment, cyberbullying, or stalking. 

Cybercriminals may use the shared personal information to steal someone's identity, which then lets them commit financial fraud or other crimes pretending to be that person. 

Personal information like addresses or other data may lead to physical risks, as it may show a person's whereabouts.

Spoof email (or other communication) that looks as if it is from a real organisation is sent to a large number of people, hoping that someone will click on a link and give their personal information or download malware. The emails are usually sent to masses of people at the same time.

Sharing sensitive information or inappropriate content online may lead to a person's reputation being harmed.  This can affect relationships, job prospects, or future opportunities.

Attackers may use the shared information to manipulate people, getting into accounts or seeing sensitive data. 

Sharing personal information with less reputable websites or services might lead to loads of marketing emails or spam messages.