If you’re into social networking websites, you’ve probably seen a widely circulated list of questions, resembling this one I recently received.

1. What time did you get up this morning?
2. How do you like your steak?
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
4. What is your favourite TV shows?
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
6. Favourite place to eat?
7. Favourite dressing?
8. What kind of vehicle do you drive?
9. What are your favorite clothes?
10. Where would you want to retire?
11. Favorite time of day?
12. Where were you born?
13. What is your favorite sport to watch?
14. Are you a cat or a dog person?
15. Are you married?
16. Always wear your seat belt?
17. Been in a car accident?
18. Any pet peeves?
19. Favourite ice cream?
20. Favourite fast food restaurant?
21. Do you own or rent?
22. How many times did you fail your driver’s test?
23. What’s your porn name?

As you can see, several sensitive questions regarding personal information were embedded in this questionnaire. While it seems harmless to share “whether you are a cat person or a dog person,” answers to some of the questions have the potential of being misused for ID theft.

The social networking sites invariably encourage users to build their network. Hence, a friend of a friend of a friend whom you’ve never met may end up with access to your profile and information. If personal information is obtained by rogue individuals, you have virtually no control over how it may be used.

For example, many institutions have security questions in place such as “What’s your favourite ice cream?” (question #19) or “What’s your favourite sport?” (question #13)

Interestingly, the most incriminating question, in my opinion, is #23, “What’s your porn name?” As the unwritten rule goes, your porn name consists of your first pet’s name as the given name, and the name of the street that you grew up on (or your mother’s maiden name) as the surname. The answer to this one question often holds two or more keys to security questions at major financial institutions.

Question #8 asks what kind of car do you drive. Question #12 asks your birthplace. Question #15 asks whether you are married. Question #17 asks whether you’ve been involved in a car accident. Question #21 asks whether you own properties.

By combining the answers to the questions above with other personal information that’s already available online, it’s indeed possible for someone to fraudulently fill out a seemingly legitimate line of credit application on your behalf.

The consequences may include the sale of your email or home address to commercial mailing list companies, or even ID theft.

So, are you a dog person or a cat person?