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4.4 Sharing Personal Information on the Internet

A Closer Look: Top Five Social Media Scams

Social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook are great ways to connect with family and
friends. However, it is important to be cautious about blindly posting on social media without
considering possible consequences of what you reveal. Ideally, by learning more about ways
your personal information can be used, you will make more informed choices about what to
share about yourself and your family and avoid being the victim of a scam. Recently, the digital
security company Symantec, makers of the Norton brand security programs, published the
following list of the top five social media scams on social media websites (ClubNorton, 2015):

1. Chain messages. You have surely seen posts like this one: “Children in foreign countries
desperately need shelter, water, or school supplies. A rich individual or large company
will donate money if you retweet the post to five of your friends.” Don’t do it! Rich
individuals do not need your support to donate, and reputable charities have their own
fund-raising efforts. Messages such as this one are often gathering names of people to
contact later for other reasons. Break the chain and don’t respond to or pass on these
messages.
2. Requests for money.You are contacted by a friend or a relative who lost his wallet on
vacation and needs money sent immediately. Or, someone “friended” you on Facebook
and now has a problem she hopes you can help her solve with a financial contribution.
Perhaps a message arrives from your bank that you must make an online deposit
right away to cover an overdraft. These are all examples of stories thieves use to
solicit money through social media. Never respond to online requests for money or
information about your credit cards or other financial matters, even from people
you know or companies you think are legitimate. Unscrupulous people can infect a
computer with malware (discussed in Module 6) to steal e-mail addresses or social
media contact lists by sending these messages. Contact the person or company by
phone before you send any money based on a written message. Once you have opened
a message like this, run a scan, using the security software we discuss in Module 6, to
make sure your computer is free of any tracking cookies or other remnants of this type
of scam.
3. Hidden charges. You come across a “free” personality quiz to learn which Hollywood
celebrity you most resemble. You enter some personal information, including your cell
phone number, and your next cell phone bill shows that you have signed up for a $9.95
monthly subscription to an online service that will send quizzes to you every month.
Trial offers for products and services and supposedly free games and quizzes can
pressure you to purchase other goods or result in unsolicited products arriving by mail
that you did not know you ordered. Read all the terms and conditions carefully before
you enter any personal information for what seems to be a free or inexpensive offer on
any website.

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