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Small pieces of information add up. Here is how to share less and stay in control.

Your trail adds up

Photos, check-ins, usernames and old accounts can be combined to build a detailed picture of you. Scammers use this to sound convincing.

What leaves a footprint

Posts and photos, app permissions such as location and contacts, accounts you created years ago and forgot, and details you filled into forms. Some of it is public, and some is held by companies and can be leaked.

Practical steps

Review privacy settings, remove apps you do not use, avoid posting documents or tickets, and search for your own name occasionally to see what is public.

Before you share

Ask who can see it, whether you would be comfortable if a stranger read it, and whether it can be used to guess a password or answer a security question, such as a pet's name or a birth date.

Sources & verification

Published
Last updated
Author
Akshay Kumar Sharma
Type
Educational article (not a news report)

Official sources for further reading

This article gives general safety guidance. Please confirm current rules and procedures on the official sites above before acting. Found a mistake or an outdated point? Please tell us through the contact page.

Educational content only. To report cyber fraud in India, use cybercrime.gov.in (opens in a new tab) or call 1930.