Sharing class portraits to 'support' high school seniors could make you a target for scams, BBB says
While scrolling through your Facebook feed, you may have noticed many users posting their senior potraits to "support" high school seniors who likely had their graduation ceremonies canceled due to the coronavirus.
Some of those posts may start with "In support of this year’s seniors, share YOUR senior picture no matter how old you are," followed by the name of that user's high school and their graduation year.
You probably shouldn't post them, according to the Better Business Bureau. Experts say scammers or hackers who may spot those personal details will now have the answers to common online security questions.
"All it takes is an internet search to reveal more information about you, such as family members, your real name, birth date or even where you live," according to the BBB.
Another viral personal list post includes all of the vehicles you have owned, favorite athletes and top 10 favorite television shows.
"What most people forget is that some of these 'favorite things' are commonly used passwords or security questions," the BBB said. "If your social media privacy settings aren’t high, you could be giving valuable information away for anyone to use."
BBB provided the following tips on social media safety:
Resist the temptation to play along. While it’s fun to see other’s posts, if you are uncomfortable participating, it is best to not do it.
Review your security settings. Check your security settings on all social media platforms to see what you are sharing and with whom you are sharing.
Change security questions/settings. If you are nervous about something you shared possibly opening you up to fraud, review and change your security settings for banking and other websites.