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.
Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.