You may have seen online quizzes on Facebook or other social media sites with prompts like “Which celebrity is your soulmate?” or “Find out your dream career!” They look harmless, but what you might not realize is that many of these seemingly innocent quizzes and games collect personal information and could be used for identity theft or fraud.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. What’s really being collected

Even if a quiz only asks for your name or birthday, it can often access more than you think:

• Your email address
• Your friends list
• Your location
• Other personal details from your social media profile

Some of this information can be sold to third parties or used to target you with scams and phishing attempts.

2. Why it matters for your finances

Cybercriminals can use this type of personal data to:

• Guess passwords or security questions
• Open accounts in your name
• Target you with fake offers or investment scams

Even small details like your birthday or hometown can help someone impersonate you.

3. How to stay safe

• Think before you click. If a quiz asks for any kind of personal info, ask yourself if it’s really worth it.
• Check privacy settings. Limit apps’ access to your social media profiles.
• Don’t share sensitive info. Avoid giving your Social Security number, bank account info, or passwords online.
• Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication on important accounts.

4. When in doubt, skip it

Fun quizzes aren’t worth risking your identity. If it seems suspicious, or too good to be true, trust your instincts and skip it.

At Natco, we care about keeping your personal and financial information safe. Staying alert to online scams is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family.