AARP Eye Center
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Let’s be honest, most of us have done it: taking one of those viral social media quizzes or threads that seem so fun and innocent. Post a picture of your first car. What cartoon princess are you? What record was number one the year you graduated high school?
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They may seem like harmless fun, but the Better Business Bureau and digital security companies warn that criminals sometimes use quizzes to pry loose personal data.
Launching a quiz app may give its creators permission to pull information from your profile, offering hackers an opening to steal your online identity. Here are three social media scams to avoid.
- Avoid queries about innocent-sounding things like your high school mascot or first car that might be linked to common security questions that banks and financial firms use to protect accounts.
- Be suspicious of any personal messages appearing to come from celebrities you follow. Criminals often impersonate celebrities online, offer special access for a price, or ask for help with a new investment or charitable contributions.
- Another classic social media scam involves a direct message from one of your personal contacts asking “Is this a picture of you” with a link to click on. Clicking the link takes you to a site that mimics one of the popular social networks and prompts you to log in, a ploy for hackers to get your credentials and access your account.
Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.
Visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or call the AARP Fraud Watch Helpline at 1-877-908-3360.