People are posting their old senior portraits on social media to support the class of 2020, because many students are missing out on the formative last year of high school due to the coronavirus.
The online trend seems harmless and fun, but the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning the public to think twice before participating.
The BBB says these #ClassOf2020 posts often include the name of the person’s high school and their graduation year, two pieces of information that are answers to common online security questions.
The BBB warns that scammers or hackers can take advantage of these posts.
“All it takes is an internet search to reveal more information about you, such as family members, your real name, birthdate or even where you live,” wrote the BBB.
The BBB cautions everyone to be aware of what they’re sharing.
“Even if you think it’s just going to your friends, it could also be going somewhere else,” the BBB wrote.
Additionally, the BBB says to avoid filling out personal list posts that prompt you to name things like all the cars you’ve owned, favorite athletes and your top TV shows. These favorite things are commonly used passwords or security questions.
“If your social media privacy settings aren’t high, you could be giving valuable information away for anyone to use,” said the BBB.
The BBB offered the following tips to keep you safe on social media:
· Resist the temptation to play along. While it’s fun to see other’s posts, if you are uncomfortable participating, it is best to not do it.
· Review your security settings. Check your security settings on all social media platforms to see what you are sharing and with whom you are sharing.
· Change security questions/settings. If you are nervous about something you shared possibly opening you up to fraud, review and change your security settings for banking and other websites.
