Minnesota Sheriff’s Office Shares Dangers Of Back To School Photos
We all need to be very careful about what we post these days. Even when something seems innocent or safe to post, chances are, someone will find a way to scam you. That is just the world we live in these days.
One great example of this is a recent scam out of Minnesota, in which scammers find information about kids online and use it as a means to fake a kidnapping to their parents via the phone.
This happened in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota recently and it was so convincing that the dad of a young girl event went to a gas station to take money out of the ATM and went to meet the scammer, posing as the kidnapper, to give them money.
So how do scammers even know that you have a kid or information about your family? It is very likely the answer to this question is social media. It may seem fine to post a picture of your family but scammers may see it and use the information against you in a scary way.
Now, as kids get ready to go back to school, one Sheriff's office in Minnesota is warning about the dangers of posting those popular back to school photos online in any capacity! It might be a rite of passage but it could end badly for you.
The Carver County Sheriff's Office shared a warning about this on their Facebook page earlier this week. They warned everyone in the area to be careful when posting these back to school photos. While they may be cute, they can be dangerous because scammers learn the name of your child's school, their age and more.
Even if, they warn, your social media pages are set to private, scammers can still find ways to gain access to the photo. Plus, nothing you post online is ever totally private so it is best to act on the side of caution.
This doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't post pictures of your sweet kiddos going off to school but it means you should simply keep the details to a minimum. The Carver County Sheriff's Office even shared an example, showing that you can share some basics and still get that cute photo opportunity you want as a parent.
Keeping things like the name of your child, their favorite subjects and other things that can't be traced directly back to them is a great way to get your picture without revealing too many details.
Plus, aside from being a victim of a scam of some sort, you don't want anyone on the internet to know where you child goes to school or what class they are in. Like I said, it is always best to be on the cautious side.
I am not a parent so this is not something I would have ever thought of before! However, it makes sense. Scammers are getting more intense with each passing day and you don't want to become the victim of one just for a photo. It's sad but this is just the world we live in these days.
By the way, while Duluth is obviously not located in Carver County, this is a warning that could be shared statewide and even nationwide! Anyone with a child going to school or daycare, whatever it may be, should be aware of the dangers of sharing something like this.