Don’t Fall For the Facebook Quiz Scam

Hear iPad Pete read this article…

Social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family. But it can also be used by scammers to access your personal information.

Taking social media quizzes can appear to be a fun and innocuous way to kill time.

However, fraud experts warn that these quizzes may ask for personal details that could lead to identity theft or financial fraud.

What is the Facebook Quiz Scam?

The Facebook quiz scam is when scammers create quizzes to collect personal information from unsuspecting users.

Scammers may use this data for identity theft and other fraudulent activities.

The scammers may also use the collected data to impersonate the user to target their friends and family.

How does the Scam work?

Have you seen that compelling quiz on your Facebook feed or another social media platform?

It looks like it could be a lot of fun!

The quiz asks a few easy-to-answer questions. Maybe the questions are to see how well you know your friend.

Or maybe it’s a personality test to discover which character from your favorite TV show you resemble the most!

Although these quizzes may seem trivial, the main purpose is actually to collect valuable data about you. 

They may ask about your mother’s maiden name, the street you grew up on, your favorite pet’s name, etc.

While these seem like harmless questions, they are actually the same questions used as security questions to open credit cards, bank accounts, or insurance policies.

So, answering these seemingly inconsequential questions could lead to your existing accounts being hacked.

Or, identity thieves may use your answers to open new accounts in your name.

Are All Quizzes a Scam?

No, not all quizzes are a scam. 

Many of these quizzes are harmless and meant to entertain or increase engagement on the platform.

However, you should always be aware that some quizzes may have ulterior motives.

Some may be designed to try to sell you something in the end. 

Or, the quiz may ask for your email address to get your “score” or the quiz results.

For example, a “What’s Your Skin Type” quiz may lead to trying to sell you different varieties of skin cream.

How Can I Protect Myself?

Here are tips the Better Business Bureau suggests to avoid falling victim:

1. Be skeptical: Before answering a quiz, figure out who created it. Is it a brand you trust? Just because something appears to be fun and innocent doesn’t mean there isn’t an inherent risk.
2. Adjust privacy settings: Review the social media account’s privacy settings and be strict about any information that is shared – and be mindful of who you are sharing it with.
3. Remove personal details from your profile: Don’t share information like a phone number or home address on social media accounts.
4. Don’t give answers to common security questions: Be cautious if the questions in a quiz ask for things like your mother’s maiden name, the street you grew up on, previously owned vehicles, favorite foods, or the name of your high school.
5. Monitor friend requests. Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know. Also, be wary of a second friend request from someone you are already connected with; the second profile may be an impostor trying to access your data and your Friends list.

Conclusion

Following these tips and being aware of the risks can prevent you from being scammed using social media platforms.

So, have fun with quizzes. But keep your eyes open to the potential dangers!

Be vigilant and trust your instincts – if it doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t.

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