Cybersecurity: Social media

Protect yourself on social media

Many people associate cybercrime with computer hacking, but a great deal of fraud comes from criminals piecing together information about users from various social channels such as your name, date of birth, location and even your financial advisor details. Here are some ways you can keep your social media account safe:

  • Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know. This can leave you open to scams like spear phishing, and reveals your personal information to complete strangers.
  • Never share personal or financial information on social media platforms, even in private messages. Social media platforms may not be secure, and people may not be who they say they are.
  • Control your privacy settings. Social media platforms let you choose what information you reveal to friends and to the public. Double check what information is public, and review your privacy settings often.
  • Limit the information you share on social platforms. Even if the privacy settings on your accounts are enabled, try to limit what you share online. For instance, sharing your location when on vacation could leave you vulnerable to burglary. And sharing details about your job publicly could leave you vulnerable to a spear phishing attack.

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