Officials have warned parents about new dangers that the popular back-to-school photos that many post at the end of each summer could pose to children.
As August draws to a close and many children prepare to start the new school year, the Better Business Bureau has issued a warning that scammers or sex offenders may use the popular images to target students – and this year, the situation could be even more “pervasive and dangerous.”
“Every student is potentially at risk, from preschoolers to college graduates,” said Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the BBB, in a statement. “Threats include identity theft, financial loss and even safety concerns. It’s important that parents and children remain vigilant.”
This time of year, charming back-to-school images flood social media pages, but many may not realize how much information this trend reveals.
In several cases, children are holding “First Day of School” signs with their name or class on them.
The BBB urged parents to be careful about what they share online. “It is safer not to post children’s photos online,” he said.
The following tips are recommended for those sharing images:
- Do not share your child’s personal information. Back-to-school photos often feature children holding a board with their full name, age, height and other information, or even a photo of your child in uniform. Scammers or sex offenders could use this information to commit identity theft or gain your child’s trust.
- Leave out information about your children’s schools. Even if you give the name of your child’s school, teacher, or grade level, their information can become vulnerable. Scammers can even use it to gather information to make alarm calls, known as the grandparent scam. Not to mention, these details are often used as security questions and passwords.
- Choose common backgrounds for your photos. Make sure that there are no house numbers or school names in the background of your photos.
BBB advises parents and children who own smartphones and use social media to do the following:
- Pay attention to false “friend requests.” Remind your students not to accept friend requests from strangers. Also, think twice before accepting a friend request from someone you are already connected with. It could be a scammer trying to access your information and friends list.
- Please check your privacy settings again. Regularly review your social media account privacy settings. Be careful about who can see your posts. You may want to remove personal information, such as your phone number or address, from your account.
“The good news is that technology is also producing products that can help with safety,” Bernas said. “Parents can explore the devices and apps available to track their child’s location and monitor what they’re seeing online. One product even lets you see your child’s emails. Another blocks inappropriate material. Some let you set screen time limits. Some watches have a button your child can press in the event of an emergency to notify authorities. It’s much easier than trying to make a phone call.”
However, it is not only young children who may be at risk, the BBB added.
College and graduate students can fall victim to credit card or tuition fraud. Some may receive fake texts, emails, or calls claiming to be from their dean or the financial aid office demanding payments.
“This is a ploy to obtain your personal information or possibly download malware onto your device. Always confirm these messages directly with the office or person who sent the message,” the BBB said in a press release.
Others may be offered their first credit card, but it could be a fake designed to steal their identity.
Other tips the agency offers students include:
- Important documents should be kept safe. These include social security cards, passports, and bank and credit card statements.
- Shred credit card offers and paper documents containing sensitive financial information instead of simply throwing them away, especially in a dorm.
- Only use secure websites. These start with “HTTPS” and have a “lock” symbol in the address bar.
- Protect your passwords and do not share them with anyone. Use strong passwords. Do not use the same password for all websites.
