Before agreeing to participate on a platform, make sure you read everything! All stipulations, platforms privacy standards, and how to keep yourself safe on their platform.

It's great to keep your friends and family in "the know", but strangers do not need to be in your business. Set your privacy setting on all platforms to "private". 

Scammers always try to stay ahead of the game with new stories, and gimmicks.  Keep yourself up to date on the different scams! FTC.GOV is a great site to refer to on all scams.

Scammers will typically approach you first via messaging or friend request. If you or your friends do not know this person personally, then the safest bet is to decline any request from the stranger.  Remember "STRANGER DANGER". 

Scammers are known to make up crazy stories to get any information from you (needing to fill out a leave application, fiance' forms, and or Next of Kin documents (all fake), wanting you to open a bank account, wanting to send you a package etc.  Many of these forms ask for your name, address, Social Security Number, phone number, mothers maiden name. DO NOT GIVE ANY INFORMATION!

There are times when people think they found the love of their life, and feel it's okay to send private/promiscuous photos to the one they love. Never EVER do this. Scammers will use these photos to blackmail you, and possibly use to scam others.  What passes through the internet, stays on the internet,  don't take that chance.