BBB: Avoid sharing these back-to-school details on social media

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ( WIAT ) — Many parents are proud of their kids and want to remember the first day of school each year. When sharing, the Better Business Bureau says to be careful what you post on social media.

Carl Bates is the President and CEO of the Birmingham BBB. He said to avoid sharing personal details such as your child’s name, age, height and school name. Scammers and predators can use this for identity theft or other malicious purposes.

“It’s critical now to be mindful of the information that we are putting out,” Bates said. “Scammers and predators look for that kind of thing as far as identity theft issues or other identity theft purposes.”

Here are the following details the BBB recommends avoid sharing:

• School name or image
• Grade level
• Teacher’s name
• Visible house numbers
• Street signs
• Landmarks to indicate where you live

Bates said there are steps parents can take to make sure their social media posts are safe.

“People are constantly building information on all of us and the more information you provide them, the more goes into that and the more they use that to try and do nefarious things to us,” Bates said.

Here are some steps to take to make sure your posts are safe:

• Review social media privacy settings
• Remove personal contact info from your profile
• Be wary of friend requests
• Watch for duplicate friend requests

Bates said it’s important to think twice before posting and to consider if the information you posted can be used against you. You can go to BBB.org for more information on social media privacy .

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