Forensic Accounting Professor Urges Students: "Take all your personal data off Facebook"

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College students are at great risk for identity theft and fraud by posting personal information to Facebook, says James Bierstaker, an expert in identity theft and forensic accounting at the Villanova School of Business.

He urges his students to take "all your personal information off of Facebook."

I interviewed him yesterday on the snowy campus of Villanova, on the outskirts of Philadelphia.

Although Facebook has taken steps to stop the controversial "Beacon" program of sharing data with marketers, there is a great deal of public information that can be shared and used for fraud, Professor Bierstaker told me in this interview.

Here's a relevant article about young people and identity theft from Britain's The Independent

-- Andy Plesser

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Update 12/7: Tough blog love:  A New York Times "Lede" blog post  by Patrick Lyons wonders:  "Has Facebook Worn Out Its Welcome.

Full disclosure:  The Villanova School of Business is a client of Plesser Holland, public relations.