Since 2006, nearly 3,200 account hijacking cases have been reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, which is associated with the FBI. These crimes can include anything from phishing scams to identity theft. One of the main sites for hijacking? Twitter.

What’s worse is the harrowing accounts of clever criminals using the site to get personal information. To avoid a call to the authorities, follow these 20 common sense rules to Twitter safely.

Common Sense Rules to Twitter Safely

These easy to follow rules can eliminate a great deal of risk.

1. Privatize : Unlike Facebook, Twitter’s default settings allow anyone to see your tweets, both current and past. The best common sense rule to Twitter safely is to make your information available only to those friends you approve of. This simple guide from eHow shows you how to make sure your profile is set to private to keep prying eyes away.

2. Update Appropriately : Twittering something like “stuck on the side of the road” may seem like a good idea at the time, but it also alerts that you are in a vulnerable state. Because you never know who is reading your messages, even in private mode, these status updates are never a good idea. A good, old-fashioned phone call makes more sense for this kind of situation. This link gives you the ten most extraordinary tweets as an example.

3. What Happens In Blank, Stays In Blank : Planning a big trip? Don’t share on Twitter. Even if a friend happens to be browsing a page, you never know who is peeking over their shoulder. Letting Twitter know when, where, and how long you will be gone is an invitation to disaster. A common sense rule when Twittering on vacations is to wait until you have returned to post pictures, raves, etc.

4. Where Are You? : That’s what potential criminals are asking when looking for Twitter victims. In this article from “Wired,” Matthew uses several pieces of technology to show how easy it is to find, track, and even rob someone. A harrowing must read that will have you using Twitter more safely instantly.

5. Post Pictures Carefully : Need a new flat screen television but don’t want to pay for it? Then look it up on site like Flickr. The search turns up over a thousand hits. If sharing this information on Twitter, criminals can know exactly what is in your home.

6. Password Protect : The experts at Twitip have many useful hints to Twitter safely. In this short guide, they advise on how often your password should be changed, what it should be, and who should have it.

7. It’s Tool Time : The Last Watchdog has some recommendations on tools to help you Twitter safely. Recommendations are given on free, paid, and anti-virus tools. They also link to them for extra convenience.

8. Use For Prevention : If there is a crime prevention or law enforcement Twitter stream in your area, join it. You can get all sorts of updates on crime in your area, as well as report incidents of your own. If no such tweet exists, get together with a few neighbors and create one.

9. Use After The Fact : Have you been the victim of a crime? Tweet about it. That’s just what this mom did when her son’s bike was stolen. Using online social networking, she mobilized the neighborhood and her son had his bike back in no time.

10. Watch for the Facebook Sync : Because Twitter can sync with Facebook and other social networking sites, common sense rules apply there as well. Making sure your Facebook page is private as long as doing the rest of the above is also important. This guide shows you how to sync Twitter with Facebook. Once done, visit your FB page to make sure it was done correctly.

Common Ways Twitter Can Hurt You

Below are some common, and even uncommon, ways criminals can get to you using a Twitter account.

11. Malware : It’s not just for emails anymore. Cyber criminals can send malware and other harmful materials via links as Twitter messages. This article from CNN has more, including the cost of cyber crimes and its rise.

12. For Tweeting Crimes : Believe it or not, people are stupid enough to tweet when they are about to commit a crime. This man in Rhode Island tweeted on his plans to drink and drive. Just a short time later, he tweeted his arrest.

13. Work From Home : Not just a pop up ad anymore, this kind of scam has found its way onto Twitter. These scams can end up costing you dozens of hours and thousands of dollars. This link highlights the top ten work from home scams.

14. Get A Job : Although there have been reports of finding work on Twitter, it is a common sense rule to proceed cautiously. Avoid any potential employer that has an application fee, requires sensitive information, and the like. Reputable employers will never ask for an up front payment of any kind.

15. Scam For Sale : If using Twitter to sell your vehicle or other items, beware. Scammers can use this information to trick you out of money or the item itself. Phony checks or money orders are sent in exchange for the items and by the time you figure out they are fake, it’s too late. Confirm payment by calling the bank or money wiring service. A good common sense rule to Twitter a purchase safely is if the offer is too good to be true, it’s a scam.

16. Follow This : Because scammers can only follow and be followed at a certain rate, scams can also come in this form. If you choose to follow someone back and they drop you, it is a clear sign of a scam. Read this article from Roughly Famous for more.

17. Twitter Cash : Going by a variety of names, this Twitter scam claims to have you earning thousands of dollars with little to no effort. Simply purchase a kit for $1.95 to begin. However, a quick read of the fine print shows that you are actually signing up for a service that will be you approximately $50 a month. In addition, your credit card information is required.

18. New and Improved : Because Twitter changes on a daily basis, so do the scams. Visit a site like Email Scammers to get the latest information on all sorts of Twitter, email, and beyond scams. You can look up something to see if it is a scam, or report something of your own.

19. Gone Phishing : These scams are intended to get a Twitter user’s name, password, and other sensitive information. It usually involves clicking on a suspicious link that can even be from a friend who was also scammed. See the below for what is actually done once they have this information.

20. Money Wire Scam : Once an account has been compromised, the new user can send out distress messages. Anyone who responds can be tricked into wiring money to what they think is a friend or family member. MSNBC reports on a woman in Missouri who was a victim of this sort of scam to the tune of $4,000. If you receive a distress message, get confirmation by phone before taking any action.

Because 140 characters can now do tons of damage, it is best not to stop at these 20 common sense rules to Twitter safely. If something or someone looks suspicious, stay away. Other forms of communication such as phone or face-to-face are better ways of passing along sensitive information. If you have been or think you may be a victim of cyber crime, contact the authorities immediately.