Social media helps us stay connected, but criminals use the same platforms to find potential targets. A scam might arrive as a bargain-priced product, an investment opportunity, a new romantic interest, or a message that appears to come from someone you know.

Criminals create fake profiles, impersonate real people and businesses, or take over legitimate accounts. They can also use information people share publicly on social media to make their stories more convincing.

Use the platform privacy settings to limit who can see your posts and personal information. And use strong and unique passwords (strongly consider a password manager) and multifactor authentication where available.

Learn how to spot and avoid scams with AARP Fraud Watch Network™. Suspect a scam? Call our free helpline at 877-908-3360 and talk to one of our fraud specialists about what to do next. 

Need a scam prevention speaker for your group? Send an email to me@aarp.org.