Don't share senior portraits! Scammers, hackers can take advantage of #ClassOf2020 challenge, BBB warns

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Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Why scammers want you to share senior photos on social media
Why scammers want you to share senior photos on social media

A new social media challenge seems harmless: It asks people to share their senior year portraits to show support for the class of 2020, who may finish high school in quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Better Business Bureau, however, said scammers and hackers can easily take advantage of these posts.

Many of these #ClassOf2020 posts include high school names and graduation years, which are common online security questions. Simply scrolling through this hashtag lets anyone find this information, and an internet search can reveal more information, like birth date and hometown.

A variety of new challenges are also asking people to post information about the cars they own and other "favorite things" that are commonly used passwords or security questions.

BBB cautions everyone to be aware of what they are sharing. Even if you think it's just going to your friends, it could also be going somewhere else.

The BBB offers these tips to stay 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.
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