It’s no secret that cybercriminals love social media. Criminals use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to impersonate your real friends and followers. Using this disguise, the scammers try to trick you into sharing sensitive information.
“With all the sophisticated tools and techniques that hackers have at their disposal, most attacks focus on tricking you into clicking a link and providing your information voluntarily,” said Jeff Hugus, IT Security Manager, Royal Neighbors.
Here’s a common scam that is regaining popularity: You receive a message from a friend or follower asking, “Is this a video of you?” The message includes a screenshot of a blacked-out or blurry video. If you click to watch the video, you will be taken to a social media look-a-like login page designed to steal your account credentials. If you enter your credentials here, the information will be sent directly to the bad guys, and they will be able to use your social media account to scam anyone on your friends list.
Keep you and your friends safe by following these tips:
- The simple message used in this scam sparks feelings of curiosity, concern, and urgency. Don’t let the bad guys toy with your emotions. Think before you click!
- Be cautious of messages that are off-topic, unusual, or outlandish, especially if the message includes a link.
- Refrain from clicking on links that offer a discount, ask you to complete a questionnaire, or make predictions about your future.
- Keep your social media accounts private and only accept friend or follow requests from people you know and trust.
- Social media privacy settings are subject to change. Review your settings regularly to ensure they have not changed from recent updates to the platform.
Always, stop, look, and think before you click.
