Social Media Safety

SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY

By Jonathan Greenert Naval Criminal Investigative Service

In today’s world, more people than ever are connected through social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Our community here in Sigonella is no exception. Whether it be through the official NAS Sigonella Facebook page, or through other groups such as Siglist or Marinai Home Cooks, social media has brought us together in a positive way. But unfortunately, the growth of social media has also led to an increase in internet-facilitated crime.

According to the FBI, in 2018 alone, over $2.7 billion was lost to internet scams, frauds, and hoaxes. From January 2018 to June 2019, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service received over 400 reports to our online tip system of internet-based extortion and/or scamming, most of which was facilitated through social media websites. These criminals often operate outside the United States, which can make it difficult to investigate and prosecute these types of cases. For this reason, it is extremely important that service members, civilians, and their families take steps to protect themselves online. Here are some things to consider: 1. Limit the amount of personal information you post. Remember that nearly everything you post online can be downloaded and saved by someone you don’t know. Do not post images of yourself in compromising situations and always review the privacy settings of the sites you are using to better regulate who can your posts. Be mindful of real-time“check-in” updates – they can reveal your location. The more information about you that criminals have, the easier it will be for them to take advantage of you. 2. Be wary of strangers online. Always verify with whom you are connecting, friending, or sharing personal information.There are people out there seeking to gather personal and/or embarrassing information they can use to extort money out of you. The internet makes it easy for criminals to misrepresent their identities and motives. 3. If it sounds off or too good to be true, it probably is.Verify the authenticity of information before taking any action. Watch for bad grammar or misspellings, which are common in scam emails. Be suspicious of emails or messages that contain an urgent request, or ask you to update or provide new information. Scammers offer all sorts of benefits in order to attract potential victims. Never download any message attachments from people you don’t know; they could contain malware that will infect your system and compromise your personal information.

As we continue to increase our online presence, we need to be more vigilant about ensuring we are not making ourselves more vulnerable in cyberspace. Taking a few small steps to protect your privacy and the security of your information will go a long way to preventing you from suffering both personally and financially. There are plenty of resources available to help stay safe online, including onguardonline.gov.

If you believe you may have become the victim of internet-facilitated crime, please report it to NCIS by stopping by Building 469 on NAS II or calling DSN 624-9210 / COMM 095-86-9210. You can also use our “NCIS Tips” program, both on the web or through our mobile application.