On the web

When online

• Protect yourself and your friends. Be careful of what you post on the Internet.
• Protect your accounts with the highest and most restrictive security settings.
• Read and understand a site’s privacy policy. Avoid using services that share your information with others.
• Do your research. Carefully investigate any online social network you may want to join. Use only well-known online services.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the RCMP’s Personal Information and Scam Protection Guide by clicking here.

Using Facebook

• Keep a closed profile – leaving your profile open allows anyone to view it.
• Only add friends you know – if you haven’t met them in real life, don’t add them.
• Never post personal information – don’t post your phone number, home address, email, or year of birth.
• Be wary of what you post. Imagine your future boss will read your profile. Would she or he hesitate from hiring you because of something you’ve posted?

Receiving emails

• Phishing messages attempt to lure a large number of recipients into providing personal information.
• Phishing emails often contain links to websites not associated with the sender.
• Other common characteristics of phishing emails include spelling mistakes and urgent statements.
• Never send any passwords or personal information in reply to emails. No reputable business or organization will ask for this via email.

For more information on internet scams and how to avoid them, please refer to the RCMP’s Personal Information and Scams Protection Guide by clicking here.