Think Twice the Next Time You Take an Online Quiz

Social media is used as a distraction for some people, and taking what seems to be a harmless quiz can be a fun way to pass time. Online quizzes are often shared among friends with the tease that your answers will reveal something about yourself.

Taking personality tests, quick surveys, and other types of online quizzes can put you at risk of becoming a fraud victim. Phishing attacks don’t always start in your email inboxes anymore.

The more information you give out online, the more a cybercriminal knows about you and your habits. Not every social media quiz is a scam, but you should learn the proper precautions to take to prevent yourself from falling victim.

Let’s not get too personal. Don’t give up answers to common security questions.

Here are some questions an online quiz might ask you:

• What was the model of your first car?
• What is your favorite hobby?
• What was your first job?
• What was your first pet’s name?
• What high school did you attend?
• What was your high school mascot?
• What was your mother’s maiden name?
• What street did you grow up on?

These are all common security questions for insurance, banking, and credit card accounts. Sharing this information can lead to your accounts getting hacked, along with personal information and financial information being stolen. If a scammer hacks your social media account they may send malware links to your friends by sharing the same quiz.

How You Can Protect Your Personal Information:

You can protect your personal information online by using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. You should also avoid online quizzes that ask for your personal information. For your accounts that require security questions, treat them like passwords and use random answers, preferably long ones. This will reduce the risk of scammers using your information to steal your identity. Consider using a password manager to securely store your passwords. Password managers can also create a strong, secure, random password for you. Check out these additional tips for protecting your online information.