The FBI’s latest Internet Cybercrime Report paints a bleak picture. Last year, Americans lost more than $6.9 billion to cybercrooks.
Don't think you're too smart to fall for
their tricks. Even savvy people can get conned out of money before realizing
what happened. Tap or click five simple, effective ways to secure your
smartphone.
Maybe it's too late, and you've noticed
unexpected pop-ups or your phone getting hot when you're not using it. Here’s
how to know if a hacker or snoop is already in your smartphone.
Avoiding cybercriminals feels like a feat,
but it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Knowledge is power. I’ll walk you
through five mistakes you might be making:
1.
You think free means safe
Taking advantage of "free" Wi-Fi
may cost you more than money. Public networks are unsecured and easy to hack.
I'm not just talking about airports. Your local coffee shop, salon, or any
place that doesn't password-protect its network leaves you and your data
vulnerable.
Since this network is open for use, packet sniffers
are readily available online that capture every keystroke you type. Think about
this. Your passwords can be seen and collected by criminals.
Use a virtual private network when you need
to access the internet and are away from a secure wireless network. A VPN uses
an encrypted connection to safeguard against snoops.
You can also use your phone as a hotspot. Tap
or click here for iPhone instructions. For steps on an Android, tap or click
here.
2.
You skip updates
Are you notorious for rescheduling software
updates but never actually installing them? If you often hit the "Remind
me later" button, you ask for trouble. Don't prevent your system from
receiving the latest tools and security patches needed to fight off attackers
and malware.
Updates are annoying when you're in the
middle of your workday, so schedule them late at night when you're not using
your computer. Tap or click here to schedule updates on your Windows PC.
3.
You pick up when a scammer calls
Sometimes those scam numbers are mighty
convincing. You recognize the area code and maybe even the first few numbers or
perhaps it's your phone number. You pick up. That’s when a scammer has a chance
to get their claws into you.
If you see Scam Likely or whatever term your
carrier and phone display, don't answer. I often hear from my national radio
show listeners who like to play games with phone scammers. They egg them on and
pretend they're interested.
This isn't too bright. You never know if that
person is recording your voice for nefarious purposes or even making a deepfake
audio recording of you later.
Like what you’re reading? Find the radio
station near you that airs my show. You can also get the show’s podcast
commercial-free.
4.
You have a bunch of old unused accounts
The more online accounts you have, the more
at risk you are when hackers come calling. With a new breach around every
corner, your usernames and passwords aren't safe.
Step one is combing through your email inbox
and phone to locate the accounts you're not using anymore. Then get rid of
them. That's not always the easiest thing to do.
Some accounts are impossible to delete, and
some sites hide their delete links, and you have to dig pretty deep to find
them. Tap or click for a tool that makes it easy to find exactly where to
cancel online accounts.
This takes some time, but it’s worth it. When
the inevitable data breach is announced from a site you once used, you’ll be
glad you did it.
5.
You click agree
When was the last time you read a site or
service’s terms and conditions? You’re not alone. It probably means you're
allowing companies to collect your private data.
I'm not proposing you read every word because
I know that's not realistic. But there is a clever way to at least check a few
things.
Next time you run into a privacy policy,
terms and conditions page or lengthy terms of service agreement, use a keyboard
shortcut to search for specific words.
• On a Windows PC, use Control + F.
• On a Mac, use Command + F.
Now, type in terms like “third party,” “GPS,” “tracking,” and “data.” You’ll get a quick look at how your info is being used.
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