The Better Business Bureau is warning users of the popular social media tool Pinterest to be careful about phony links that could leave them open to attacks from fraudsters.

In these scams, users get email from Pinterest indicating that one of their friends has shared a ‘pin’ with them.

Targeted users are usually intrigued by the subject of the photo, which could be anything from celebrity photos to a giveaway offer.

Opening the email and clicking on the designated pin ends up sending the user to another foreign website which has nothing to do with Pinterest.

Those sites could be a marketplace for counterfeit products, promoting fraudulent work from home jobs, telling bogus news stories, or even installing dangerous malware on your computer.

Sandra Crozier-McKee, president and CEO of the BBB serving Southern Alberta and East Kootenay, says that social media platforms are an easy way for scammers to reach an untold amount of victims. “Social media platforms are used by millions of people each day, which makes any social media user a target for scammers," she says. "BBB urges consumers to exercise caution when responding to unsolicited messages, even if they are from popular, trusted organizations. If you're suspicious, trust your gut and check with the organization or the BBB before responding to these kinds of messages."

The BBB offers the following ways to help keep your Pinterest account secure:

  • Report the pin – if you spot a spam pin, be sure to report it by clicking the flag icon on the image
  • Change your password – if you suspect that someone has accessed your account, reset your password. Make sure that it is complex to protect your security
  • Log out of your account when you aren’t using it – scammers can get into your accounts if you keep them logged in
  • Be wary where you log in – make sure you only use Pinterest.com or the official mobile app to log in to your account
  • Take caution when linking your social media accounts – if scammers can access your account, they can share spam pins on your Twitter and Facebook feeds too
  • Be careful sharing pins – always double check the link on a pin to make sure it is legitimate. Scammers often replace links in popular pins with links to websites that install malware
  • Always watch out for third party applications – if you regularly grant third party application access to your account, you could be giving scammers access to your personal information

For more information and other consumer tips, visit bbb.org.