Don’t fall victim to common social media scams

Many of us are familiar with phone scams offering free hotel stays or flights, but social media scam artists are becoming so savvy that you might not see them coming. What should be a safe place to network with friends and loved ones is an increasingly popular place for scammers to send ransomware, access personal networks and trick users into sharing private information or sending money. These deceiving posts or messages can take many forms, so check out this list of five common social media scams to watch out for and how you can avoid falling into a trap.

• Friendly Money Requests: Did a loved one just ask for an e-transfer because they lost their wallet on vacation? Before you do a kind deed and hit send, reach out to them on a different platform to ensure that his or her profile hasn’t been hacked.
• Contest Winning: Did you get a notification about winning a contest that you can’t remember entering? What sounds like a nice surprise may actually be a lure to get you to provide personal information. Make sure to look into the credibility of the organization or find confirmation that you entered the contest before you hand over your personal details.
• Phishing Lures: If you get a message with a strange-looking video, link, or odd note from a friend, it’s possible that the account has been hacked and the information sent your way is malicious. Before clicking through any such messages or links, reach out on a different platform or question the sender further about what lies at the other end of the link. Don’t be phished by surprise malware!
• Profile Add-Ons or Games: Before connecting apps, games or widgets to your social media profile, do some research on whether the company providing the service is legitimate and secure. Some enticing games ask for your personal information before you can play, and then automatically sign you up for a paid subscription that you might not notice right away. Other apps and games access your full profile information (and the information of friends you are connected with) when you agree to their terms and conditions.
• Fake Brands: Do you ever post brand reviews on social media? Some scammers watch for comments and then – using a fake account – pose as the customer support from the brand you’ve just reviewed. They respond to your comments with the goal of gaining your trust and asking for your personal information, or sending you a link to a phishing website. If you receive a response like this on social media, carefully look at the name of the account responding and validate its legitimacy before engaging.

Watch out for these common social media scams to help you stay safe online, and protect your personal or financial information. By doing your homework on links and requests that seem out of the ordinary, you can help prevent yourself from falling prey to these and other scams.

For more tips on how to stay safe in our digital world, check out the TELUS Wise tip sheet or telus.com/wise for more information.