Sharing birthdays online poses identity theft risk, experts warn
Security researchers say providing dates of birth to websites can enable criminals to impersonate users and access accounts.
At a glance
- Date of birth is commonly used as verification information by banks and online services
- Criminals can exploit this data to impersonate users and access accounts
- Leaving the field blank or using a fake date of birth may offer protection
Cybersecurity experts caution that sharing dates of birth online increases vulnerability to identity theft and fraud. Criminals can use this information as part of verification processes to impersonate account holders and gain unauthorised access to banking and other sensitive accounts.
Users are advised to consider using false dates of birth or leaving the field blank when creating online accounts where possible, as a protective measure against identity theft.
Why it matters
Date of birth is a key piece of personal information widely used in identity verification processes, making it a valuable target for fraudsters seeking to compromise accounts.
Original reporting
- The Guardian — BusinessA gift to scammers: why you should probably keep your birthday a secret
This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.
