Pinterest is becoming a popular target for cyber criminals because the site itself is getting more popular, but also because a simple eye-catching photo is all it takes to lure someone in and have an Internet scam succeed in stealing your information or your identity. On Facebook and Twitter, a scammer needs a carefully crafted sentence or lead to entice someone to click a link. The most common scams include filling out a survey, signing up for a subscription or a free offer, and downloading something onto your computer.
If you, like us, are addicted to Pinterest, there are some basic things you may want to consider about your rights and your security. Here’s the rundown…
What is Pinterest? A self-described ‘virtual pinboard’ to organize and share the things you find on the web. We like to think of it as a visually-based organization system that doubles as a social network. It’s a lot of fun.
Pinterest and the law - there has been a lot of talk about how Pinterest encourages copyright violation by allowing its users to post photos found online. Though their terms place all the responsibility with the users, most people don’t read those terms. You, as a user on Pinterest, are currently responsible for any copyright claims arising from images you ‘pin’ there – so it’s best to be comfortable with those terms. It’s a fuzzy area right now.
Avoiding scams on Pinterest - The social networking site is so new that many people are unaware that it’s being use for online scams. The nature of the site – pinned images with short descriptions and links – makes it easy for cybercriminals to pin images linked to malicious scripts or sites.
Most of the time, online safety would encourage you to simply not click on an unknown link… but all links on Pinterest are unknown. So, what do you do?
Do not participate in surveys that originate on Pinterest or other sites; don’t re-pin an image as a ‘condition’ to learning more or getting a reward; leave sites that seem shady; use an antivirus product for extra protection.
