Stay Safe from Scammers this Internet Safety Month

June 30th is Social Media Day as well as the final day of Internet Safety Month, and with the continued rise of online scams, it’s more important than ever for South Dakotans to get educated on how they can protect themselves and their families online.

To help, Meta has shared practical tips and tools in the recently released Scam Prevention Hub for
South Dakota users to spot and avoid common scams from payment fraud to account takeovers. Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to steal personal information and money, making online scams harder to spot.

Meta recommends a few simple tips to stay safe online.

Slow down and check before engaging

Look for any suspicious behaviors before accepting a friend request, responding to a message
or clicking on any link in a message. If someone claims to be a friend or relative in an emergency, or asks you for advance fees to receive a loan, prize or other winnings, slow down, do not engage, and remember, you always have the option to report them to Facebook and Instagram.

Spot-check

Scammers often try to get people to act quickly. If you get a suspicious email or message claiming
to be from Meta or other legitimate companies and institutions but you don’t know them or their email is unexpected, verify the sender and don't click any links or attachments. You can verify if an email comes from Facebook, by visiting https://www.facebook.com/recent_emails/security. If the email you received isn't there, it’s likely a scam.

Don’t share personal details

Be suspicious before entering your social media or other online login and password in a website or app. Stay cautious when a new third-party app you just downloaded requires you to login with your Facebook account before you can use its functionality. Don't share requests from unknown accounts asking for your passwords, social security number, credit card or other financial details. Report them to Facebook and Instagram.

The most powerful way to protect yourself from online scams and fraud is by reporting suspicious
activity. With a single click, the ‘Report’ tool removes a message from your feed, alerts Meta of a potential scam, and helps stop the spread of potentially violating content.