LITTLE ROCK, Ark — In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, things look different now. There’s uncertainty. We’re all adjusting to a new normal.
But let’s not forget, scammers never take a day off.
Posting your throwback pictures from your senior year of high school and using #ClassOf2020 has been a way to show support for the class of 2020, who is finishing their senior year in quarantine because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It seems harmless and can really be a lot of fun.
But the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning social media users to watch out! Scammers and online hackers are lurking behind their screens – waiting for you to reveal just the information they’ve been waiting for.
“It’s okay to put your senior picture up there. What you don’t want to do is put the year you graduated, your high school name or hometown name, or your mascot name," said Janet Robb, President and CEO of BBB Serving Arkansas.
"A lot of people use those words and numbers in various passwords. And scam artists that have sophisticated enough computer programs to run password revealers can run thousands and thousands of combinations of names and numbers in a matter of seconds until they hit something that is the password to one of your accounts,” she added.
Even if you think your post is just being seen by your friends, the BBB says it could be seen elsewhere.
Here are a few suggestions from the BBB to help you stay safe on social media:
-Resist the temptation to play along
-Review your security settings
-Change security questions
“When you let your guard down, you’ve lost a job, there’s uncertainty about your business, that’s when we are the most vulnerable. So as always, especially now, don’t let your guard down,” Robb said.
If you suspect any suspicious online activity or believe you may have fallen victim to a scam – reach out by email at : info@bbbarkansas.org or visit www.bbb.org/scamtracker to report things you’ve seen you think are a scam.