Published: January 28, 2022, 3:48 AM
Social media is used as a fun distraction for some people, and taking a Facebook quiz may seem like a harmless way to pass the time. But are you giving away more information than you think?
The experts at the Better Business Bureau shared a warning about social media quizzes that could be hiding a scam:
How the Scam Works:
A fun quiz pops up on your Facebook feed or another social media platform. A few questions are answered to prove how well you know a friend. Or a short personality test is offered to match with a character from a favorite TV show.
These quizzes appear to be meaningless, but the intent behind them is to collect information. For example, questions like: “What was the first car you owned?” “What is your mother’s maiden name?” or “What is the name of the street you grew up on?” These are common security questions for insurance, banking and credit card accounts. Sharing this information can lead to accounts being hacked, and personal and financial information being stolen.
Not all social media quizzes are data collection scams; however, BBB cautions users to be careful about what they share online and to check the privacy settings on the account. Social media data and quiz answers can be used to steal identity or enable a scammer to impersonate you to your friends and family.
Tips to avoid social media scams:
For more information:
See BBB’s article on sharing yearbook photos on social media.
For more about social media scams, see this article about Facebook Messenger cons and this about social media advertising.
For consumer tips, go to BBB.org/ConsumerHQ. For business tips, go to BBB.org/BizHQ.
If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to BBB ScamTracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams.
Stay up on the latest scams by subscribing to BBB Scam Alerts emails.
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