The Philippines remains the world’s social media capital, ranking at number one for the 6th straight year in the annual report by research agencies Hootsuite and We Are Social, which tracks global social media and internet usage.

In 2020, Filipinos logged in four hours and 15 minutes on social media every day. This record not only breaches its average of three hours and 53 minutes in 2019, but also the global average of two hours and 25 minutes in 2020.

With this much time spent on social media, BDO Unibank cautions the general public to be careful of the information they share. Scammers lurk online to steal personal information, which they use to access online bank accounts and steal money. They can also use it to open new bank accounts.

What can bank customers do to outsmart scammers?

For one, BDO advises clients never to post documents with their full name, birthday, and other information that scammers can use to answer security questions on social media.

Other useful reminders that clients can do are the following:

• Review your profile. Reconsider sharing your full name, birthday, education background, employment, and other personal information.
• Choose the people who can see your posts. Social media platforms have privacy settings you can adjust to filter what others can see.
• Only add people you actually know, especially if you’re sharing personal moments like birthday celebrations, family photos, or professional achievements. Unfriend those you don’t really know.

BDO encourages clients to report suspicious incidents to ReportPhish@bdo.com.ph, or get in touch with its representatives by logging in Messenger and looking for BDO Customer Care with the blue verified checkmark from Facebook. Clients may also call its hotline at 8631-8000.

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