WEST MICHIGAN -- The Better Business Bureau of Western Michigan is issuing a warning to anyone who uses social media. The BBB said your own information can be used against you. That's whether it's used to create targeted ads, hackers accessing your accounts, or a host of other scenarios.
Just recently, political data firm Cambridge Analytica came under fire for allegedly harvesting private information from Facebook accounts. The number of accounts mounts to more than 50 million users who did not give permission.
John Masterson with the Better Business Bureau said, "These are free, these are silly quizzes but really on the back end you're giving away personal information to people that you don't know."
"Birthdate, name, address, anything that's personal information you should guard. Whether it's a form through the IRS or a Facebook quiz," Masterson said.
To protect yourself, the BBB suggests you exercise skepticism. Before you take any quiz, figure out who created it and whether you trust them. Read, understand, and adjust your social media account privacy settings. Remove personal details from your profile(s) and be careful about befriending strangers.
"Any forms, any kind of collection of information you should have some sort of terms and conditions or privacy policy or fine print," Masterson said.
To report a scam or unethical business to the BBB, you can do so using the BBB scam tracker at BBB.org/scamtracker.
