Continue the list until you reach "XII" with the value of December. Looking for alternatives for your holiday shopping? Watch Out for Social Media Scams and Protect Your Data - AARP Do not follow people on social media who ask for personal information, especially your Social Security number or bank info. They also found that people who are active on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are 30% more likely to be victims of fraud due to increased exposure and information sharing. Fraudsters use social media to create false identities and scam people out of their money or personal information. Once data is publicly shared, fraudsters can use bots to collect and compile it. It is estimated that $770 million will be lost to social media fraud in 2021, which will be 26% of all fraud losses reported last year. You can opt out at any time. What consumers need to be most aware of is the ease with which increasingly savvy cybercriminals can gain access to accounts and steal identities. Reports provided by data contributors are excluded here and throughout this Spotlight because of differences in the collection of contact method information. As an added bonus, youll have more time to make sure your posts arent revealing more than you intended like that family photo taken on the front porch that happens to include your house number. This is a BETA experience. Thats how scammers ask you to pay. To minimize your risk, decline friend requests from people you don't know. Kovelin Naidoo, chief cyber security officer at FNB, said that although social media scams in South Africa are not as prevalent when compared . It contains a number of icons, or images, that you can click on to start programs., 3. Life in the digital age isnt without danger but thats no reason not to enjoy the internet. If you see them,report the messageand then delete it. They can also use to impersonate others and spread malicious rumours or information. The U.S. information security company (which is part of the Dell family) released their annual Current State of Cybercrime Report for 2019, alerting readers to the growing trend of cybercriminals relying on social media platforms to commit fraud as well as securely communicate with each other about coordinating and automating their attacks. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. What is a 'phishing' email scam and simple ways to protect yourself. If a criminal poses as a friend, he or she can trick you into sending money. A lot of users put their full name, date of birth, parents and pets names, and sometimes even their full home address onto their profiles. Check for the grammar. It is also necessary to contact your credit card company. A criminal can get hold of your bank details by physically stealing your bank or credit card. Users are vulnerable to identity theft and fraud due to a lack of regulatory regulation, industry regulations, or incentives to inform users on authentication, privacy, and identity safety. This technique, called web scraping, allows fraudsters to efficiently build profiles of their targets. There are a number of ways identity thieves may obtain your personal information Fraudsters may dig through mail or trash in search of credit card or bank statements Unsecured web sites or public Wi-Fi may allow identity thieves to access your information electronically Identity thieves have gotten more sophisticated in their methods. This is perhaps the most popular way that scammers like to get information out of you. Facebook currently allows most users to send money through the Messenger app (although TechCrunch recently reported that this would be shut down in the U.K. and France) and Snapchat did as well until they were bested by Venmo and Zelle. Fraudulent ads posted on the internet or social media. [2], More than 95,000 people reported about $770 million in losses to fraud initiated on social media platforms in 2021. A popular method for anyone wanting to steal your personal information is to get sneaky and use someone elses account. Perform the following steps: If the answer is No,it could be a phishing scam. Social media permeates the lives of many people we use it to stay in touch, make new friends, shop, and have fun. According to Kaspersky Labs, 33% of all phishing sites attempted to impersonate social networks. Fraudsters use social networking platforms to identify victims and steal their personal information. 9. Jessica Baron is a tech ethicist and a freelance writer and editor. Theres the ability to fine-tune their approach by studying the personal details people share on social media. If youve fallen prey to a phishing attack and your information lands in the wrong hands, weve got your back. The message will try to convince you into handing over your personal information and bank details, or it may release viruses and malware that will attempt to steal information directly from your device.
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