Social media and messaging

Check your social-media privacy settings

Reduce the personal information strangers can use to make impersonation and scam messages more convincing.

Published July 27, 2026 Reviewed July 27, 2026 1 minute read

Public posts can reveal names, relationships, birthdays, travel plans, workplaces and routines. Scammers can use these details to sound familiar.

Review these settings

  • Who can see new and previous posts
  • Who can find you using a phone number or email address
  • Who can send messages, tag you or add you to groups
  • Whether your friends or contacts list is public
  • Which third-party apps have account access
  • Location sharing and photograph location data

Check contacts as well as content

An account using a familiar photograph may still be fake or taken over. Verify unexpected money requests through a different channel.

After changing settings

Review the profile while signed out or ask a trusted person what they can see. Repeat the review when the platform changes its controls or after installing a new app.