4.03.23

How clean is your social media hygiene?

When was the last time you scrubbed through your friends list or cleaned up your digital past? In general, it’s always better to be safe and avoid oversharing personal details as there could be fake accounts, followers or friends on your list whose account has been hacked which could put your identity in jeopardy. Consider some social media spring cleaning and update your privacy settings. Find this and more tips found on University IT’s Social Media Security page.

4.17.23

Don’t fall victim to social media clickbait messages

Beware of direct messages you receive on social media enticing you to click a link. These messages can come from anyone, even friends, with vague sentences. (“Hey! I think you knew this person who just passed away.” Insert fake link here.) Curiosity may get the best of you to click the link only to be prompted to sign into your social media account. This is your first red flag. Someone is attempting to steal your credentials. Never click on suspicious links, and always double-check with your friend first on the message you received from them. Chances are they’ve been hacked. For more security tips, visit University IT’s social media web page.

4.24.23

Answering fun questions on social media puts your identity in jeopardy

Social media is a common distraction many people use to pass the time, however, you may be giving away more personal information than you realize. If you’ve ever scrolled through your feed to find social media quizzes asking you to “Combine your first pet’s name and the street you grew up on to formulate your new nickname”. What you don’t realize is, scammers could take your answer and use Mittens Mt. Hope to circumvent password security questions. Even worse, they could look at your profile and cross-reference any public facing information your sharing to help steal your identity. The BBB offers some tips to avoid social media scams.