ReclaimMyID

Social media is one of the best ways to keep in touch with old friends and family or keep yourself entertained. However, it can also put a target on your back for scammers (or self-inflicted damage) if you don’t know how to protect yourself. Below we will give you five tips for social media safety which you can use to help safeguard yourself from unwanted attacks.

Watch what you post online. This is a multi-layered issue. You must be careful what information you post on social media because any sensitive information could be used in a possible identity theft. However, you also must watch what you post. People such as potential employers, love interests or landlords could use this information to vet you in the future. Many of us feel that social media is our safe space, when in fact it could a landmine that is waiting to explode.
Use unique, strong passwords for all social media accounts. You should have a different password for every website or app you log into. It can be difficult to remember a bunch of passwords, so a password manager is a great option.
Avoid clicking ads on social media. While you may think that a massive website such as Facebook would never allow a scam ad to be posted, it happens much more frequently than you realize. You may click a link for a great deal on an item you’ve been wanting. The website may look legitimate. However, you may pay for the item and never receive it. Knowing how to spot a secure website can also help you from becoming a victim of this type of scam.
Strengthen your privacy settings. All social media apps and websites give you the ability to change your privacy settings. You can set it up to where only your friends can see your posts and you can also use settings to prevent tracking.
Be wary of random private messages. If you receive messages from people you don’t know, especially regarding topics you’ve posted about on social media, be very careful. Phishers and scammers are becoming very clever, so you must keep your guard up.

For all the positives social media brings, there certainly come some downsides with it. Use these tips to help keep yourself safe while still enjoying your time online.