Too many people share almost everything online. That’s a one-way ticket to scam town. Depending on the information, you may be a particularly prime target. Keep these close to your vest.
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1. Your relationship status
Widows and widowers are big targets. Scammers are trying to get their hands on inherited property. Take Rosalie Douglas, for example, who tried online dating and listed “widow” as her relationship status. Two different scammers connected with Rosalie and swindled her out of a staggering $430,000.
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Pro tip: Don’t use dating or social media apps if you’re widowed or widowed. You never know who’s watching.
2. Vacation planning
Tiffany posted about her family’s upcoming Carnival cruise on Facebook by sharing a photo of the ticket. She didn’t think about the fact that her reservation reference number was included. The same day, the scammer created a new Carnival account using Tiffany’s confirmation number. The scammer canceled her reservation and ruined her $15,000 trip.
Widows and widowers are big targets for scammers. (Reuters)
Pro tip: Announcement of your vacation plans before or during your trip will scream “Take it away!” Take lots of photos while on vacation, but don’t share them until you get home.
3. Video of you talking
Artificial intelligence tools allow anyone to create deepfake videos cheaply and easily. Recently, a woman named Sam on TikTok said that a shady brand had stolen her face and used it to promote their products. The brand did it all using videos from her social media accounts and some deepfake software.
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Pro tip: Limit the personal information you share online, especially high-quality photos and videos of conversations. For most people, it’s best to set your social media accounts to “private.”
4. Expensive electronic equipment for sale
A South Carolina man put his limited edition PlayStation up for sale on a Facebook buy and sell group. The “buyer” he met pulled out a gun and took the PlayStation, as well as the man’s cell phone, wallet and watch. scared.
Beware of scammers on Facebook. (AP Photo/Patrick Sisson, File)
Pro tip: If you’re selling something expensive, meet in a public place during the day and bring your friends. Your local police station parking lot should scare away anyone trying to rob you.
5. Personal walking, hiking and cycling routes
Fitness apps with GPS track more than just your workouts. We talked about the Secret Service agent who leaked the whereabouts of President Biden and his wife, President-elect Trump and his wife, and Vice President Harris. In case you missed it, the agents were using Strava to track their movements, apparently unaware that anyone could see their routes.
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Pro tip: If you use a fitness app, change its settings to private. You can also disable GPS completely, but that will block your ability to use the app in the first place.
6. Your child’s school and activities
You’re proud of your children and want to share their milestones online. Sorry, but it’s not wise to post photos before your child’s school or share their weekly soccer schedule. You really don’t know who’s watching.
Fitness apps with GPS track more than just your workouts. (St. Petersburg)
Pro tip: Don’t post details about your child’s school, daycare center, sports team, or even the club they attend. When sharing, be vague and avoid identifying anything in the background.
7. Your job details
The real danger here is getting scammed. Spear phishing scams target a single person using highly personalized information. Mid- and senior-level employees are great targets because they may have access to company finances.
The more specific details you post, the more fuel you give to scammers. This includes where you work, your role, the projects you work on, and anything else.
Pro tip: Limit the details you share about your work. Keep posts about your career accomplishments vague or only share them with friends and family.
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