Lafayette Police caution social media users about filling out questionnaires, challenges

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — Does the coronavirus have you stuck at home looking for ways to pass the time? The Lafayette Police Department is warning social media users that some of the questionnaires and challenges going around are not as harmless as they seem.

“One of the most recent ones is, ‘Share a picture of every car you have ever owned.'” states the LPD’s Facebook page. “This may seem like a fun trip down memory lane, but this information can be used by someone to gain access to your personal information.”

In reality, many common security questions on personal email of even online banking sites is, “What was your first vehicle.” You could be unwittingly providing hackers with crucial information.

Other questions that should not be answered include, “What is your mother’s maiden name?” or “Where did you attend high school?”

“As fun as these challenges/questionnaires may seem, we encourage you not to participate and protect your personal information,” stated the LPD. “Please be especially wary of posts which ask you to copy and paste the post. This allows the original posters to look at the accounts of everyone who has copied and pasted their information.”