Did you
know that October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month? Are
you up to date with the latest ways to keep your data safe on the
internet? If you are in need of a
refresher there are many ways to keep yourself safe while navigating the
web. With more commercial and banking
transactions taking place online it is becoming more important to be aware of
how your information could be stolen or how you could fall for a scam. A great resource created by the Federal Trade
Commission called OnGuard Online
gives a great overview of ways to keep yourself and your data safe online.
Public WiFi
If a wifi network does not ask you for a password to access it you need to be careful about what information you are inputting into your browser online. OnGuard’s resource page on public wifi gives a great overview of ways to keep yourself safe on open networks. One of the best tips is not to type passwords or credit card information online while using public wifi. If you do, make sure that you don’t have one password for all of your online accounts. It may be convenient to remember but if someone gets that password then they have access to everything you do online. Always make sure that you check a site’s privacy information to make sure that they are keeping your data safe and try to only go to websites you are familiar with.
If a wifi network does not ask you for a password to access it you need to be careful about what information you are inputting into your browser online. OnGuard’s resource page on public wifi gives a great overview of ways to keep yourself safe on open networks. One of the best tips is not to type passwords or credit card information online while using public wifi. If you do, make sure that you don’t have one password for all of your online accounts. It may be convenient to remember but if someone gets that password then they have access to everything you do online. Always make sure that you check a site’s privacy information to make sure that they are keeping your data safe and try to only go to websites you are familiar with.
Internet Scams
Snopes, the online urban legend debunker, is also known for their great detective work on online scams. Many of these scams are perpetuated through e-mail. A good rule is to make sure to only open e-mails from people that you know. If a link in an e-mail seems fishy don’t click on it. Some e-mails try to appear like legitimate businesses to get you to click on their links so always do a quick Google search about the content of the e-mail before you click a link that looks suspicious. If you didn’t start a transaction with the company in question it is probably a scam. When you do find out an e-mail is a scam always be sure to delete it right away.
Computer scams aren’t always started online. The FTC has recently started cracking down on scam calls tricking people into paying for virus removal that they don’t need. If you suspect that you have a virus always take the computer to someone in person to fix the problem. Never let a company access your computer remotely unless you are 100% sure they are a legitimate company.
Snopes, the online urban legend debunker, is also known for their great detective work on online scams. Many of these scams are perpetuated through e-mail. A good rule is to make sure to only open e-mails from people that you know. If a link in an e-mail seems fishy don’t click on it. Some e-mails try to appear like legitimate businesses to get you to click on their links so always do a quick Google search about the content of the e-mail before you click a link that looks suspicious. If you didn’t start a transaction with the company in question it is probably a scam. When you do find out an e-mail is a scam always be sure to delete it right away.
Computer scams aren’t always started online. The FTC has recently started cracking down on scam calls tricking people into paying for virus removal that they don’t need. If you suspect that you have a virus always take the computer to someone in person to fix the problem. Never let a company access your computer remotely unless you are 100% sure they are a legitimate company.
The
more you are aware of the different scams and ways people can steal your
information online the better you can protect yourself. So take time to get educated this month and
happy web surfing!
*Photo courtesy of Google Images.
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