Digital Deception: Why Using a Fake Alias Could Be Your Best Defence
The Dangers of Your Data in the Wrong Hands
Your date of birth might seem like harmless information, but did you know that even a standard detail like your birthday, combined with just your gender and postcode, can make you a target?
With around 191,780 people born on the same day and of the same gender as you—equivalent to filling London's Wembley Stadium only twice over—adding your postcode gives cybercriminals everything they need to pinpoint your identity with alarming accuracy.
The Dangers of Data in the Wrong Hands
Dark web data aggregators thrive on collecting these small pieces of information. By cross-referencing leaked data with publicly accessible information, such as voting registers or social media profiles, they can create a detailed profile of you - making you a prime target for identity theft, financial fraud, or other malicious activities. However, it’s not just cybercriminals who exploit this data—legitimate businesses can also use it in ways that might surprise you.
When Legitimate Businesses Go Too Far
Consider a well-documented case involving Target in the United States. The company used purchase data from its loyalty card program to predict which customers might be pregnant. This led to a situation where a father received maternity-related coupons addressed to his teenage daughter—revealing her pregnancy before she had disclosed it to her family. The whole story, covered by The New York Times, highlights how even legitimate businesses, through first-party data, can allow digital advertising platforms to precisely identify and remarket to individuals, sometimes leading to unintended and potentially harmful consequences.
Your digital footprint:
The trail of data you leave online—tells a story about you, one that businesses and cybercriminals alike can exploit. Protecting this footprint is essential to safeguarding your identity and ensuring your personal narrative remains under your control. Whether through secure data practices or using aliases, managing your digital presence is key in today's data-driven world.
The Consequences of Data Breaches and Identity Fraud
The consequences of data breaches are far-reaching. For instance, the recent 2023 MOVEit breach affected over 45 million individuals, exposing sensitive data across multiple industries. You can read more about the incident on Wired. Similarly, the Equifax breach in 2017 compromised the personal information of 147 million people, leading to widespread identity theft and financial fraud, as reported by The Guardian. These incidents highlight the real-world impact of data breaches, where even a single exposure can lead to significant financial and emotional distress for victims.
Identity fraud remains a growing problem. According to UK Finance’s 2024 Annual Fraud Report, identity fraud significantly rose, contributing to the over £1.17 billion criminals stole in 2023. The report also highlighted that online platforms and telecommunications networks were significant fraud enablers, with 76% of authorised push payment (APP) fraud cases originating from online sources, underscoring the importance of both individuals and businesses taking proactive steps to protect personal data and maintain strong cybersecurity practices (UK Finance, UK Finance).
What You Can Do as an Individual to Protect Your Identity
While businesses must take steps to protect your data, individuals also have a role to play in safeguarding their identity online. Here are some proactive measures you can take:
Use Aliases and Disposable Emails: Consider using services like Apple's Hide My Email or Proton Mail's Hide-My-Email Aliases to generate unique, random email addresses for different online services. These services keep your real email address private and reduce the risk of data breach exposure. Similarly, DuckDuckGo's Email Protection offers a simple way to create disposable email addresses that forward to your real inbox, protecting your identity from unwanted tracking and spam.
Limit the Data You Share: Be mindful of the amount of personal information you share online. Only provide necessary details and avoid sharing sensitive information, like your exact date of birth or home address, unless absolutely required.
Enable Privacy Settings: Regularly review and update the privacy settings on your social media accounts and other online services—limit who can see your information and what data is publicly accessible.
Monitor Your Accounts: Check your financial accounts and credit reports for suspicious activity. Services like Experian IdentityWorks or Identity Guard offer monitoring and alerts that can help you avoid potential identity theft.
Be Cautious of Free Online Quizzes and Reports: Be wary of websites that ask for personal information in exchange for a report or quiz results. These can often be honey traps designed to collect and exploit your data.
The Services Blend Offers to Protect Your Data
At Blend Data Strategy & Cyber Security, we understand the complex landscape of data privacy and the importance of safeguarding personal information. Our services are designed to help businesses navigate the intricacies of data protection and compliance with privacy laws, such as the GDPR. We offer:
Data Audits: We conduct thorough audits to assess what data your business collects, how it is stored, how it is used, how long you keep data, and your deletion policies, as well as whether they comply with the GDPR. The audit helps identify potential vulnerabilities and ensures that your business's data practices align with legal requirements.
Customised Data Protection Strategies: We develop tailored strategies to help your business collect and use data responsibly- including minimising data collection to only what is necessary and implementing robust data security measures.
Privacy Policy Development: We can assist in creating clear, compliant privacy policies that inform your customers about how their data is used, building trust and reducing legal risks.
Training and Education: We provide training for your staff on data protection best practices, ensuring that everyone in your organisation understands the importance of safeguarding personal information.
Conclusion
In an era where data is increasingly valuable to legitimate businesses and cybercriminals, protecting your personal information is more critical than ever. By being cautious about the data you share online and using methods such as using aliases and special tools, you can reduce your risk of becoming a victim of identity theft. Meanwhile, businesses must ensure robust data protection measures to comply with regulations and safeguard customer trust.
At Blend Data Strategy & Cyber Security, we are committed to helping businesses and individuals navigate the complexities of data protection. Working together can create a safer, more secure digital environment for everyone.