Four Things Your Mom Needs to Avoid Sharing Online

Internet safety is something you may think of for yourself and your kids, but how about your mom? If your mom uses social media to stay in touch with family and friends, are you certain she knows what is safe to post and what isn’t?

Here are four things you mom must know to never share online.

Personal Information

It’s not safe for your mom to share personal information online. This includes a physical address, driver’s license number, Social Security number, employee number, or phone number. If a company asks for a phone number in order to sign her up for a newsletter, make a number up. Some companies, such as the Rejection Hotline, have even created numbers for the public to use if they’re asked for a phone number and don’t want to give it out.

Head Shots

Your mom should not share things like her driver’s license photo or other pictures where she’s facing the camera and only capturing a head shot. This image could be used to create fraudulent identification cards. If she really must share photos of this nature, she needs to make sure her privacy settings are for friends only.

Bank Accounts

Your mom should never give any of her banking information out. She shouldn’t post pictures of checks she’s written or photos of a bank statement. All of this can be obtained and used to get hold of account information. The same is true of credit and debit cards. Even if she is only sharing it with friends, it’s too risky. She needs to make sure this information is kept to herself.

Passwords

Your mom may be tempted to share her password with a friend or family member. It’s not a safe practice. Make sure she knows this type of information should never be sent in a chat, email, or text message. It’s best not to share at all. If she really feels it’s important for you to have access to something like her Facebook account, there are ways to set up a Legacy Contact so that you can access it without ever knowing her password.

If your mom spends time online because she feels lonely or bored, consider hiring a homecare professional. Not only can a caregiver help out with meal preparation and housework, but a caregiver offers companionship. Call a homecare agency today to discuss the best schedule for your mom.