Archives - Social Media Scams

Recognize how to spot a counterfeit social media account.

Numerous social media profiles are fabricated with the intent to gather information deceptively. To determine if a profile is deceptive, download the profile picture and perform a Google image search to check if it’s a stock image. If so, engaging with the profile poses a risk and should be avoided.

When meeting strangers online, tell someone where you’re going, who you’re meeting and when you expect to be back

Whether for a social get-together or to make a transaction, if you don’t know the person well, make sure at least one other person knows about your trip. Set a hard rule for check-ins: If they don’t hear from you by a certain agreed-upon time, call the police. Also, this can’t be stated strongly enough: […]

Set clear privacy rules for your social media accounts

Normally, by default, anything you post on social media is viewable to the public. If you don’t want everything you say and do to be made publicly viewable, adjust your privacy settings. You can, for example, make your posts only viewable to people you have listed as your friend. You can set some posts to […]

Be wary of bad actors on social media

Social media can be useful for staying connected with friends, family and coworkers — but there are also people with bad intentions. Don’t accept friend requests or private messages (PMs) from people you don’t trust. Report any aggressive or indecent behavior to the platform itself, and if someone threatens your life, contact the police. Block […]

If you’re not sure about a piece of information, corroborate it

Misinformation, often produced by bad actors, targets social media users, where they hope it will spread and make you (and everyone you share that information with) believe something that is potentially untrue. The general rule is to check the source and corroborate it with reputable sources.

Avoid linking your social media accounts

Dating apps in particular typically let you link your social media accounts with their service. This has both the advantages and disadvantages of letting strangers know more about you, which can leave you open to identity theft. Avoid linking accounts altogether. This suggestion not comprehensive, but they’re just the start of safe, reliable social media […]