How to protect yourself from social media identity theft
If you use social media, you could be a target for identity theft. You can buy identity theft insurance – or it might be included in your homeowners or renters policy. But taking simple steps to protect your social media accounts can help you avoid most scams.
person liking social media posts on a phone
Don’t post ID cards
It might be tempting to post a photo of a new license or ID card, but it may include your birthday and other identifying data.
Question quizzes and surveys
Watch out for quizzes that ask for personal information. Scammers ask questions with answers you might use for security login questions, such as the model of your first car, your first pet’s name, or your hometown.
Don’t overshare
Most social media sites and apps ask you about yourself, then display that information on your profile. Be careful what you give them. The more a scammer knows about you, the easier it is to create a fake account with your information. If an app allows it, keep your profile private.
Limit app sharing
A lot of apps let you sign in with a more popular app. But when you do, you usually agree to let the new app use data from the old one. If one app is hacked, scammers can get data from every app linked to it.
Close old accounts
Scammers look for old, unused accounts with outdated passwords that are easy to hack. If you don’t use an app, delete your account.
Protect family members
Teens are the most likely to overshare. They usually have clean credit histories, which makes their identities valuable. Seniors don’t use social media as often but might not know when they’ve been hacked. It’s a good idea to check the accounts of family members in those groups.
This post have 0 komentar
EmoticonEmoticon