How to Stay Safe and Avoid Scams on Social Media

Social media is a great way to keep in touch with your friends and family, especially when you can’t see them in person. Unfortunately, scammers like social media, too.

You can still connect safely with your friends and family online. To keep your information safe, follow these easy tips.

Customize your settings to keep your account safe

Social media sites like Facebook offer ways to keep your information safe. If you go to your account settings, you can choose who can view your profile and related information, and how much they can see. The safest option is to set your account to only share updates you post with your friends. That way, only people you know can see your posts.

Be careful about the information you share

You should still be careful about what information you share, even if you’ve filtered who can see your profile. To be safe, you should never share information that could be used for identity theft. This includes your home address, birth date, phone number, or any financial information.

Watch where you click

Make sure you’re careful when you click links on social media. Links can be scams in disguise, especially if it’s an advertisement for something that seems too good to be true or a sensationalized headline leading to an unknown source. Even things your friends or family share with you could be malicious links, especially if their accounts have been compromised by scammers. When you click on a link, always check that the destination is secure and the domain is what you expected.

Follow basic cybersecurity safety

Here are a few cybersecurity reminders to keep in mind wherever you are online:

• Use strong passwords and make different ones for every account.
• Never share your password.
• Change your passwords regularly.
• Use a password manager to keep track of login information.
• Use a modern, up-to-date browser.
• Never leave your account signed in on a public device.