# A gift to scammers: why you should probably keep your birthday a secret

- Source: Guardian Business
- Published: 2026-11-01T07:00:05+00:00
- Category: Business
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/nov/01/do-not-share-date-of-birth-online-scam-fraudsters-advice
- Canonical: https://groundlevelnews.com/story/a-gift-to-scammers-why-you-should-probably-keep-your-birthday-a-secret-44e4d2/

Using a fake DOB or leaving the field blank when making an online account can offer protection from identity theft You get a call from your bank saying there has been suspicious activity on your account. They read out your name, address and date of birth so you are happy it is a legitimate caller. But you are talking to criminals who have used your date of birth as part of a web of verifying infor

_Ground Level News shows a short summary only; the full article and all rights belong to Guardian Business._