Sharing isn't always a good thing

Out of the various age groups polled, it appears that young Canadians (32 per cent) were the most likely to overshare their personal information such as their email address, mailing address, birthday or phone number over social networking sites.

The older we get the wiser we get -- or so it seems. The survey found that 24 per cent of those polled aged 31-45 also admitted to sharing their personal information. Baby Boomers, aged 46 to 65, also engaged in the same risky behaviour (14 per cent); while just nine per cent of seniors (66 and older) said they divulged their personal information online.

Young adults were also listed as the group that was most likely to share their Personal Identification Number (PIN) and lend their credit and debit cards to others.

Sharing personal and financial information could put you at greater risk of identity theft and other scams that are currently out there.

Even though seniors are less likely to share their information online, scammers are out there to specifically target their group through fraudulent phone calls, emails and letters designed to solicit their personal and financial data.

Gord Jamieson, Head of Payment Risk, Visa Canada, has this to say, "This year's survey reveals that Canadians of all ages have bad habits that impede their ability to protect themselves against financial fraud. Young adults need to better understand the risk associated with oversharing personal and financial data, while seniors need to better understand that talking about fraud with someone they trust can help protect them from becoming a victim, helping them learn about risks and how they can protect themselves."

March is Fraud Prevention Month. The Government of Canada has a few tips on how you can learn to protect yourself.

By Donna Donaldson, MSN Money

Have you ever shared your personal and financial information through email and texting? Do you have concerns about "oversharing" your personal and financial data?