Final answer:
Asking for personal details such as birth date and mother's maiden name raises concerns of potential identity theft, known as True-name Fraud. Such information should be handled with care online, and individuals should monitor their credit history for signs of unauthorized activity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The situation described in the question, where an IT magazine asks for a staff member's month of birth, a second for the year of birth, and a third for the mother's maiden name, raises concerns about online privacy and identity theft. These types of personal information are frequently used as security questions for account recovery or verification procedures, which could potentially be misused for fraudulent activities if acquired by individuals with malicious intent. The combination of such sensitive information could lead to True-name Fraud, where illegally obtained personal details are used to impersonate someone and gain unauthorized access to their financial accounts or create new fraudulent accounts. In general, only the required minimum information should be shared online and one should always inquire about the necessity and use of collected data. It is strongly advisable to monitor credit history periodically to detect any unusual or unauthorized activity suggesting identity compromise. Identity theft not only includes financial losses but also can affect one's online reputation and can take considerable time and effort to resolve.