(WXYZ) — As kids start heading back to school, remember to watch out for scammers and take care when sharing information online.
Watch Alicia's full report in the video player below
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is reminding families to be cautious as the kids head to class this fall.
First, let's talk about the cute social media posts featuring a child on their first day of school holding a sign listing various information about them.
"What do you think about that trend?" I asked parents.
"I’m not a fan. I don’t generally put my kids on social media because I don’t love them having a digital presence," Savannah Polimeni said.
"I mean, they’re adorable. I just, I mean, at this moment, less is more," Detroit mom Rochelle Allen said.
"It’s fine to do them, but like limit the information – like even taking one at her school sign. Then they know where your kid goes to school," Ann Al-Amara, a Royal Oak mom, added.
The BBB is reminding parents that if you're posting back-to-school photos, avoid sharing personal details about your child.
"Don't list what school your child is going to. These can be dangerous pieces of information once you're giving away your child's teacher's name, their exact age, the school they go to. And be careful about that background that it's not giving away, you know, maybe a home address or the school location," Nakia Mills with the BBB said.
Mills said scammers use this information to attempt to commit identity theft. Also, if you use your child's personal info in passwords or security questions, it could leave you vulnerable to a security breach.
"Is there any kind of scheme or issue that high school students or parents should be aware of?" I asked Mills.
"Definitely! High school students and parents should be aware of the SAT preparation scams," Mills said.
Mills said you might get a phone call from someone claiming your teenager filed out an online form to sign up for a SAT preparation course.
"And as a proud parent, you think, 'oh, this is great. My child took initiative.' And they'll tell you that you just have to pay the deposit or give your credit card information, something to finish the order," Mills said.
But once people have paid, they find out their child never signed up for an SAT prep course and now the scammers have their money or credit card information.
Mills also said parents need to be aware of scholarship scams.
"You might get a letter in the mail or someone might give you a phone call saying, 'Congratulations, your son or daughter has won this great scholarship or grant that's going to help with their college. All you have to do is send us in a small processing fee,'" she said.
Don't fall for it. If your child has won a scholarship, they don't have to pay any money up front to get it.
Also, practice good cybersecurity habits and teach your little ones to do the same.
