Social Media Challenges & Puzzles Could Put Your Identity at Risk

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The Better Business Bureau is issuing warnings this week about some popular online activities, and it might change the way you post to social media.

First up, the BBB says to avoid taking part in the #ClassOf2020 challenge, where you post information and a picture of your high school graduation. The goal is to pay tribute to a class that isn’t getting a traditional senior year. However, the BBB says scammers and hackers look through posts trying to find personal information and now you’ve given them your high school and graduation year, two bits of information that could be used for online security questions.

The BBB also warns, “Other recent viral personal list posts include all the cars you’ve owned (including makes/model years), favorite athletes, and top 10 favorite television shows.”

What about that Facebook quiz? Nope.

Here’s what the BBB says about that:

How the Scam Works:

You see a fun quiz on Facebook or another social media platform. What’s the harm, you figure? You answer a few questions and prove how well you know a friend. Or you take a short personality test to match with a character from your favorite TV show.

These quizzes ask seemingly silly or meaningless questions, but scammers can use that information for nefarious purposes. For example, some quizzes collect personal information by asking questions like: “What is your mother’s maiden name?” or “What is the name of the street you grew up on?” These are common security questions for banking and credit card accounts. Sharing this information can lead to your accounts being hacked, and your personal and financial information being stolen.