NATIONWIDE — It seems harmless and a sweet way to remember your high school glory days. We're talking about the latest Facebook craze, posting your senior high school photo.
Folks aren't just posting their pictures, but also their high school name, their graduation year, all in an effort to show support for the 2020 seniors who don't get to participate in the annual rite of passage, graduation.
But providing all that information is perfect for hackers and scammers who troll social media sites looking for #Classof2020 posts. High school names, mascots, and graduation years are common online security questions. Pair that information with other info easily found online, such as your full name, birthdate, family members, and even current and former addresses and you have the makings of a recipe perfect for hacking.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns everyone to be careful of what you share, even if you think you are just sending it to friends.
There are a lot of these virtual lists and posts that become very popular and many times they provide information used as passwords and security questions.
Some examples include naming the cars you've owned with make and model, your favorite athletes, how about naming your favorite TV shows. Answering these simple social media posts could be giving away valuable information to anyone who wants to use it.
BBB has the following tips to keep you safe on social media:
- 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.
- For more information about privacy concerns online, see BBB's scam alert on Facebook quizzes.
- For tips for staying safe online, read BBB's tips on staying cyber secure.
You can report scams to BBB Scam Tracker.