How to Protect Yourself Online

The Internet has become a must-have in every household. However, the Internet presents its fair share of challenges especially when it comes to cyber-attacks. Hackers can steal your information such as credit card numbers, passwords, tax information or even disable your device. The following tips will help you browse safely and avoid such problems when online.

Be on the look-out for Phishing Scams

Nowadays, tech support scam has become more sophisticated and its no longer reliant solely on phone calls. Phishing scams seek to present illegitimate businesses as trustworthy by using fraudulent websites and emails to trick unsuspecting users into sharing their private information such as login details. As a safety precaution, when you receive emails from unknown businesses with a link to a website, ascertain the legitimacy of such websites first. Instead of clicking through to the site, open a separate browser and open the website to do your due diligence. Alternatively, you can call the business directly.

Precaution when shopping online

The most valuable information to hackers regards your finances, and online shopping presents this opportunity to them. Before buying items online, be certain that the website uses secure technology. Before checking out, verify that the site starts with https and there is a locked padlock symbol usually located at the right bottom corner. You can also check the legitimacy of the secure security vendor stated at the website by visiting their website and poking around.

Be Wise with Email Usage

Emails have quite literally replaced paper letters. Also, it is a fun way of keeping in touch with family, colleagues, and friends. Even if your device has the best protection software, it may not be the same with your respondents which make you vulnerable to cyber-attacks. With this in mind, never share private information such as social security number, credit card number, or any other personal information which can put you at a significant disadvantage if acquired by hackers.

Dangers of Instant Messaging Programs

Instant messaging programs have become the most popular way of communicating with friends and close people. When using these programs, be smart and restrict useful to casual chatting without sharing personal details because not all of them have an end to end encryption. When creating groups in these programs do not accept strangers, and it’s sometimes wise to use screen names.

Use Smart and Strong Passwords

This can be hard because of the sheer amount of passwords we have. However, it’s of paramount importance to have smart and strong passwords for, particularly sensitive accounts. Some websites insist on a strong password by making it a must for users to incorporate special characters, capital letters, and numbers among others. Even when this is not mandatory for a given website, it’s for your own good to follow these steps. Regularly used passwords like birthdays and pet names can no longer cut it in this modern times. A smart and strong password makes it harder for hackers to break into your accounts.

The more you rely on the internet in your day to day life, the more likely you are to be a target of tech support scams and cyber-attacks. Since the internet cannot be done away with, it’s upon you to protect yourself when online.

If your computer had a virus, you’d want to know about it ASAP, right?

Before your important files become corrupted, you lose your photos and your digital life is essentially destroyed. Even thinking about it is terrifying.

Tech scammers know we’d be lost without our computers, and that we don’t always know what’s going on behind the screen – which is why they’ve been able to swindle millions from every day people across the world.

The scam goes like this:

You receive a random phone call from someone with a heavy accent (usually Indian) saying they’re from Microsoft, or an alarming pop-up appears on the screen, saying it looks like your system has been infected with a virus.

To fix the problem, they need to you to download some support software, which they’ll give you a special link for.

A technician then uses that software to gain access to your system and make it appear your system is riddled with viruses. Flashing screens, mysterious diagnostics whizzing by, fabricated errors…they’ll do or say anything to make you panic. They’ll even go as far as claiming your system has been infected with illegal content and if not corrected, you’ll face criminal charges.

Demands for credit card information follow immediately after. Once paid, they simply stop fiddling with your system to make it seem the problem is fixed. To continue the scam, they’ll soon access your system to recreate the problem, this time offering a subscription for ongoing protection.

What To Do If You’re Targeted By A Tech Scam

1. Don’t taunt them. Just hang up. Right now you’re only a phone number in their system and they’ll move onto the next – if you give them cause to target you personally, you may find yourself in a dangerous situation.

The real Microsoft will never randomly call people like this. Ever.

2. If a pop-up appears, immediately run an anti-virus scan. Don’t click the pop-up or call the number.

What To Do If You’ve Already Been Scammed

It’s okay. It feels horrible, but you’re not alone and the situation can be corrected.

Call your financial institution and have the charges reversed and your card reissued. It’s easier than you might think and helps the authorities locate the scammers.

Then contact us and we’ll make sure they no longer have access to your computer.