Your Uncle Jeffrey has shared a quiz that he did on Facebook about what kind of superhero he would be. While that looks like a tempting way to waste your time, it’s best to steer clear of any and all social media quizzes. The topics might be lighthearted, and a lot of the questions might not be direct in getting specific information out of you, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t help scammers or hackers find answers to security questions on bank accounts.

Sometimes they get what they want by redirecting you to a site that downloads malicious code to your computer. Other times the quiz itself is the culprit, perhaps teasing your mother’s maiden name out of you by charting your family tree, or drawing a bogus family crest for you. Also suspicious are quizzes and apps that rate things according to zip code — with zip code being a common question credit card processors ask for remote transactions.

Here are some more tips:

  • Be wary of having to sign in or create a profile in places you’ve never been to before. It’s never worth the time and effort, and you will forget about it.
  • Consider not showing your kids’ faces in any pictures you post. They’re adorable, but a baby is a baby, you know?
  • Don’t overshare your emotions. Anything you put online will be used six ways to Sunday — not just by actual scammers, but big mega-corporations collecting every last bit of your online behavior. If you have receipts to share, I recommend doing that in a direct message. Those are still private — I believe.
  • Keep some rooms in your house private and don’t display your stuff. We all know people that bring their cam into their bedrooms. There are thousands of pictures floating around that depict the unintended consequences of sharing your inner sanctum with the world. Besides the usual mortifying things, people can and do make a lot of accurate assumptions about you based on your stuff.
  • Most scams affect more than just you. If you notice your friend or follower numbers start to go down, it may be because unethical and scammy apps that you installed are pestering them. Advertising to “Friends of Friends” is actually a popular option that Facebook advertisers seek out.

My last piece of advice involves a little lying...on the security questions that are so ubiquitous lately. Think of it as a chance to create a new story for yourself, like maybe your security persona comes from a wine-producing part of the old world that still uses real butter. People love to honor deceased pets by making them security questions, but that is also inviting fraudsters to set up shop on your profile. Whatever you choose to use as an answer to security questions, it should not be the truth.

There’s also the often forgotten nuclear option when the household goes to bed. Simply unplugging your router is the ultimate security precaution.

A lot has happened since a landfill’s worth of AOL installation discs were sent out, unsolicited, to millions of Americans. Your online life can still be that fun and carefree, though — after you shore up your defenses.

Judy Heft is the CEO/founder of Judith Heft & Associates, a Financial and Lifestyle concierge celebrating 26 years in business helping people stay financially organized. She is a Certified Money Coach and the author of “How to Be Smart, Successful and Organized with Your Money” and the co-author of “Mastering Your Financial LifeCycles.” She is the host of the podcast “Mastering your Financial Life.” For more information, visit www.judithheft.com.

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