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The Hidden Dangers of Online Quizzes: All the Truth Revealed

Online quizzes are fun, and they’re designed to be tempting. That’s why they’re so popular, but precisely because of that they also attract plenty of cybercriminals. Unfortunately, most of the quizzes you encounter have malicious purposes.

So, instead of killing time, or perhaps even learning something, you could fall prey to potential hackers when taking quizzes. Read on to find out what risks of taking online quizzes are, and how to protect yourself.

What Dangers Are Lurking Behind Online Quizzes?

First of all, hackers could use the answers you provide to steal your identity or gain access to your different accounts, especially bank accounts.

This is because there are quizzes with questions concerning your first pet’s name, your favorite teacher, and your birthplace. Rings a bell? Those are some of the usual security questions you’re prompted to answer when opening an online account.

By giving those answers, you’re practically giving potential hackers access to your accounts.

There are a lot of quizzes that ask you to click on a link to get your quiz results. By doing so, you may be allowing hackers to install malicious software on your computer or phone.

With that malware installed, they can track your online activity and record keystrokes to get your usernames and passwords. They could access every piece of data you have and steal or misuse your personal and sensitive information.

Every quiz on social media asks to access some of the information on your profile. Some ask for personal details, while others ask for photos and information about your friends. By allowing access, you share your and your friends’ personal information.

How Can You Stay Secure on Mobile?

One of the ways to avoid all these hidden dangers is to simply stay away from online quizzes. However, if you still feel tempted to take them, be sure to stay alert for potential scams. Applying the following steps will help you and your data remain safe and secure.

  1. Review Quizzes Before Taking Them
    Before you click on any online quiz, take the time to check its credibility. Google it and find out more about its source to see whether or not it’s credible and trustworthy. If you find bad reviews, stay away from it.
    Many businesses create quizzes to learn more about their target customers. However, you may come across a fake quiz from a seemingly reputable company, so take the time to do your research. If the source isn’t trustworthy, it’s much safer to move along.
  2. Don’t Click on Any Links 

    As you already know, clicking on suspicious links could install malware on your phone. So, before clicking on any link, take the time to inspect it thoroughly.First, hover over the link to see its full URL. However, be wary, because the real URL may be entirely different from the one that displays when you hover.

    Beware also of shortened URLs, as they’re the best way for hackers to hide their real URLs. You can use tools to expand shortened URLs without ever clicking on them. Just copy the URL into a search field. Some of the best tools you can use are CheckShortURL, Link Expander, and URL Expander.

    What you should also do is check for any spelling or grammar mistakes in URLs. If there are misspellings, chances are the quiz is a scam.

  3. Use a VPN for Android 

    Using the best VPN for Android is a great way to protect yourself from potential cybercriminals. It masks your IP address and hides all your online activity, making you completely anonymous online.With a VPN for Android, your private data will always remain private. You won’t have to worry ever again about potential cybersecurity threats. Your internet traffic will always be encrypted, and all your connections secure, even when you’re connected via unencrypted public Wi-Fi.

    Being aware of the hidden dangers of online quizzes helps you take the right steps for protecting yourself. Be sure to follow the tips for staying secure on mobile mentioned above, and you’ll never fall prey to potential hackers.

  4. Review Your Social Media Privacy Settings 

    If you’ve ever allowed an app to access your social media profile, you may have already shared some personal information. Even if you don’t use those apps anymore, they continue running in the background.To prevent suspicious apps from gathering your data, you should review your social media privacy settings. For instance, on Facebook, you can easily access your privacy settings and disable unauthorized apps.

    You can do so by heading to Settings > Apps and websites. Here, you can review active apps and websites, and either remove them or edit their settings. You can also modify your preferences for apps, websites, and games.

 

 

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