by Kristin Burnham

How to Spot a Social Media Scam

News
Jan 24, 20135 mins
PrivacySecuritySocial Networking Apps

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are breeding grounds for phishing, clickjacking and social engineering attacks. Here are nine tips for spotting a scam, plus advice for what to do if you fall victim.

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are breeding grounds for phishing, clickjacking and social engineering attacks, which, security experts say, are on the rise.

“These criminals are paid to gather email addresses and [to generate] online advertising clickthroughs,” says Dhugael McLean, chief security scientist at Support.com. “Social media scams are getting more and more advanced in how they try to trick you,” he says.

Here’s a look at how you can spot a social media scam, plus tips for what to do if you fall victim.

Use Online Resources

social media scams

“Image by Thinkstock

There are a number of Websites to help you verify whether a post on social media is a hoax or a scam: Snopes is a resource that tracks internet scams, rumors and misinformation, and is the first place you should check if you have doubts about something you see, McLean says.

McLean also suggests ScamTrends.com and FBI.gov as additional resources to consult.