Online scams are increasing as people continue to spend time at home and in front of phone and computer screens due to the global pandemic.
Lafayette, Louisiana police are advising the public to remain vigilant about sharing personal information after a new Facebook challenge, which asks people for their info. “One of the most recent ones is, ‘Share a picture of every car you have ever owned,’” the Lafayette Police Department wrote on its Facebook page. “This may seem like a fun trip down memory lane, but this information can be used by someone to gain access to your personal information.”
Common security questions include asking users the model of their first car, their mother’s maiden name, or the street of their childhood home.
“As fun as these challenges/questionnaires may seem, we encourage you not to participate and protect your personal information,” the police wrote. “Please be especially wary of posts which ask you to copy and paste the post. This allows the original posters to look at the accounts of everyone who has copied and pasted their information.”
Other scams also include text messages, where hackers try to get information by preying on the public’s fear. In one scam, texts are sent to people saying they’ve been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
“Someone who came in contact with you tested positive or has shown symptoms for COVID-19 & recommends you self-isolate/get tested,” the text states, according to People. Included in the message is a link where you can learn more about testing.
“It is not a message from any official agency,” the Thomaston, Maine police wrote on its Facebook page. “It is however a gateway for bad actors to find their way into your world.”
“The virus is not the only invisible enemy. Be vigilant against all threats,” they added.
An additional social media challenge appears innocuous at first. The #ClassOf2020 challenge asks people to post their senior years portraits in solidarity with the class of 2020, which might have to graduate from high school while in quarantine. A lot of the challenge's posts include sensitive information like high school names and graduation years. A simple internet search can lead to data like birth date and hometown.
