For many of us, checking and updating social media is part of our daily routine. Unfortunately, this makes social media platforms a prime place for cyber criminals to trick people into falling for their scams.
To avoid social media scams, you should:
1. Create a strong password. The first line of defense from cyber crime is a strong and secure password. The Postal Service™ requires passwords to be at least 15 characters long and include three of the following: uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
2. Keep personal information personal. Don’t “overshare” on social media profiles or in posts. Scammers use information like your birthday, dog’s name, and address to hack your passwords and steal your identity.
3. Delete unsolicited emails and texts. If you receive an unsolicited message from a company or person, do not engage the sender. Report it and then delete the communication.
4. Verify before you interact. Always verify that social media content or emails come from a legitimate source, including those who claim to represent a company or other organization.
5. Think before you click. Before clicking on an advertisement or accepting a friend request, take a moment to think. Is the deal too good to be true?
If you fall victim to a social media scam, follow these steps1:
n Immediately cease communication with the scammer.
n Document and save all communications between you and the scammer.
n Report the incident to the respective social media site as well as your local police department.
n Report the incident to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Compliant Center via ic3.gov.
n Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission via consumer.ftc.gov.
n For Postal Service devices, report the incident to CSOC at CyberSafe@usps.gov.
Please refer to Handbook AS-805, Information Security, section 5-7, for official social media guidance. As a reminder, do not:
n Create unauthorized social media accounts on behalf of the Postal Service.
n Post messages to social media platforms on behalf of the Postal Service2.
n Log into personal social media accounts on any Postal Service devices.
n Link personal social media accounts with your Postal Service email address.
For more information on cybersecurity best practices, check out the new public-facing CyberSafe at USPS™ website at uspscybersafe.com or the CyberSafe at USPS page on Blue (blue.usps.gov/cyber/).
— Corporate Information Security Office,
Chief Information Security Officer
and Digital Solutions, 4-27-17
