The Dangers of Clickbait Scams on Social Media

Obviously the use of social media is drastically increasing, and with it growing there are more and more people trying to take advantage of it. Since it is growing at an alarming rate social media users need to know more about clickbait scams.

What is Click Bait?

Scams that convince/trick you into clicking their link!

Most of these scams can damage your computer! Clicking on links from social media can help scam artists capitalize on your interest and get more personal information from you. Do not click on links unless you’re SURE they are legitimate.

Most clickbait scams on social media are related to the current events happening around the world, and they make you think you have to click on it so you will be up to date on what’s happening. These scams can release malware on your computer, and they are only going to get worse! Just because the links are embedded on a trustworthy site (Facebook, Google Plus, Linked In, Twitter) doesn’t mean it automatically makes it a legitimate link.

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How To Reduce Your Risk of Being Scammed

You could:

• Hover your mouse over the link and see what pops up. If there is a disconnect, don’t click that link
• If the link or post sounds too good to be true, it most likely is. No matter how cute and/or funny it is, links have images that could negatively affect your privacy.
• Avoid clicking on promotions with overly sensational or shocking photos/videos. The best thing to do would be to report the post as a scam on Facebook or Twitter.
• Be careful with your friends, sometimes their account can get hacked and they could share a spam link. Scammers could be using another tactic called “clickjacking,” which is a technique that scammers use to trick you into clicking on social media links that you wouldn’t normally click on.

If you have already clicked on a link and allowed it to access your account, don’t worry, you can remove it by updating your settings page. Go to your profile and click on settings. Click on the Apps page, and delete the app that you think is a scam or just seems suspicious.

Why are People Clicking on These Links?

The main reason why people are still clicking on these links is boredom. People get bored and want to look at and read things that seem interesting or curious.

There are spam Apps on Facebook, and having them on your account gives Facebook the freedom to look into your personal information. If there is a post that promises products and services for free, then you should be very cautious. The app could possibly ask for your phone number before it gives you anything. Some apps may even steal your private and financial information! Unfortunately, even after you remove the app from your account, the developers will still have your information. 🙁

Final Thought

Stop and think before you click! It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re actually interested in the contents of the article, the aim with clickbait is to get you onto the website responsible.

If you have any questions or have had experience with clickbait scams on social media, please leave a comment below.

Your Friend,

Karissa