Staying safe while using social media during Christmas is important to protect your personal information and enjoy a stress-free holiday season. 

Here are some tips to help you and your family stay safe…

Create strong, unique passwords for your social media accounts. Use a mix of letters, numbers and special characters. Consider using a password manager to keep track of them

Be cautious with personal information. Avoid sharing too much personal information, such as your home address, phone number or travel plans. Scammers can use this information to target you

Be wary of clicking on links or interacting with profiles that seem suspicious. Scammers often create fake profiles and links to steal your information

Regularly review and adjust your privacy settings to control who can see your posts and personal information. Limit your audience to friends and family

Scammers often use social media to promote fake deals and giveaways. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is

If you encounter suspicious profiles, messages or posts, report them to the social media platform. This helps protect you and others from scams

Consider setting time limits for your social media use to avoid stress and enjoy the holiday season more fully. This can help you stay present and reduce the risk of falling for scams

By following these tips, you can enjoy a safer and more enjoyable holiday season on social media.

This messaging system is not for reporting crime as responses are not monitored 24/7. If you have time-critical information regarding the content of the above message, or if you wish to report any other non-urgent matter, please call 101.  In an emergency, call 999.

Police Scotland's North East Division covers rural and urban areas in Moray, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City.  The division has five territorial command areas which have their own dedicated Area Commander, who is responsible for the daily policing function.  Each command area is served by a number of community policing teams whose activities are built around the needs of the local community.  These teams respond to local calls and look for long term solutions to key issues.  They are assisted by the division's Crime Reduction Unit who deliver against Force and local priorities in a number of areas, including physical and social crime prevention, supporting and enhancing community engagement and creating and sustaining strong and effective partnership working.