Practices to Safeguard Your Business from Social Media Scams
Like anything online, social media is a place criminals create new ways to gather sensitive information. With more and more online use, it’s becoming easier for scammers to find ways to target unsuspecting users. While many users know what to look out for, cyber criminals are getting more creative in ways to trick social media users into handing over information – and many of these scams work because they seem legitimate. Check out some practices to start using for your business social media accounts.
A recent email has been sent to email accounts linked to a business Facebook page. The email is claiming that copyright material is being used on the user’s business Facebook page. The email notifies the person that their account will be shut down within 48 hours if no action is taken. There is a link in the email to “appeal” the report. The link seems to take the email recipient to a valid website associated with the social media platform but the questions required to fill out the form send up a red flag. Account login information, birthdate, and other sensitive information are required fields on this page.
If you receive an email and click on a link you think could be suspicious, consider running a Malware check on your device and ensure your antivirus is up to date. It can also help safeguard your accounts to change your social media password, just in case that sensitive information was gathered by a cyber criminal along the way.
Our social media marketing company has seen a number of social media scams over the years and the people behind the keyboards are getting more creative with how scams appear. If you’re worried about a recent email or notification, contact MSW Interactive Designs and we’ll be happy to check it out to see if it looks suspicious.
Double Check Emails from Social Media Platforms
Getting an email notification from a social media platform your businesses uses isn’t unheard of, but it’s important to have a watchful eye when receiving such email. Below are a few tips for checking the validity of an email:- Don’t trust the email display name. Many cyber criminals will spoof the name of an email to appear to be a trusted contact. Look past the name that appears on the “from” line and check out the email address itself.
- Hover over links. When an email has a link, hover your mouse over the link but don’t click. When hovering over the link, a box should appear with the actual link that it will take you to, should you click. If the link doesn’t match or seems off, don’t click it.
- Scan for misspellings. A misspelled email address that is very close to a trusted email is another way for scammers to appear to be legit and present themselves as a trusted source. Ensure you scour a suspicious email for misspellings in the email addresses and any links.
- Check for an email signature. Most businesses – social media platforms included – use an email signature. Anyone can throw an email signature together but double check the phone number (call it if there is one) and verify the address and all other business information on the email signature to ensure the email is from a trusted source.
- Avoid opening attachments. Attachments are a common part of the business email world but it’s best to avoid opening an attachment from an unknown email address or something you may not be expecting from a trusted email account.
Other Tips to Keep in Mind:
- If an email from a social media platform is asking for information you know they already have, it may very well be a scam.
- There are often not deadlines associated with real emails or notifications from social media platforms. This time frame is often a scare tactic that scammers use to make users act fast.
- An email threatening to close down your account is another popular tactic to drive users to provide information without taking the time to check the validity of the email or notification.
- Use unique passwords for your accounts. Try to avoid using the same password for all accounts and change your current passwords on a regular basis to help keep your accounts better protected.
A recent email has been sent to email accounts linked to a business Facebook page. The email is claiming that copyright material is being used on the user’s business Facebook page. The email notifies the person that their account will be shut down within 48 hours if no action is taken. There is a link in the email to “appeal” the report. The link seems to take the email recipient to a valid website associated with the social media platform but the questions required to fill out the form send up a red flag. Account login information, birthdate, and other sensitive information are required fields on this page.
If you receive an email and click on a link you think could be suspicious, consider running a Malware check on your device and ensure your antivirus is up to date. It can also help safeguard your accounts to change your social media password, just in case that sensitive information was gathered by a cyber criminal along the way.
Our social media marketing company has seen a number of social media scams over the years and the people behind the keyboards are getting more creative with how scams appear. If you’re worried about a recent email or notification, contact MSW Interactive Designs and we’ll be happy to check it out to see if it looks suspicious.
Phone: 877-211-5492
Info@MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Comments
Post a Comment