Tips to avoid being scared to death by cybercriminals this spooky season
Spooky season is in full swing. Summer is over and the temperature has dropped. As the days grow shorter, leafy streets and the scent of pumpkin spice lattes slowly begin to usher in fall. But spooky season is about more than just pumpkin patches and Halloween decorations.
We’re not sure how useful scary costumes are when it comes to warding off evil spirits, but they might know a thing or two when it comes to scaring off cybercriminals. Evil spirits are not out to drain your bank account, steal your identity, ruin your business, or destroy your life.
Still, the main goal of most online criminals is to exploit cyber loopholes and fool unsuspecting or unsmart people to fall for the scam. Here are his five tips for scaring criminals away from you and your loved ones.
freeze your credit
With so many data breaches over the years, it’s very likely that your SSN and other sensitive information is dangling out on the dark web.
If a hacker steals your credit card number, banks will issue you a new card with a different number, but the government is making it very difficult for people to change their SSN.
You may not be able to buy a new car or house or make a necessary transaction. SSN Freezing your credit is often one of the best ways to scare away scammers. Store frozen and thaw only when needed.
Don’t click on links in emails or text messages
There are various scam It might get to you. They all have one thing in common. That means you are exploiting a weakness.
Users may accidentally (or intentionally) click on a suspicious link in a phishing email. Some people may respond because they feel lonely. random person Start a conversation online and lose your life savings to a pig butchering scam.
Whatever your weakness, try to hide it and show strength instead. That’s definitely the way to fight off scammers.
antivirus software
In fact, one of the best ways to intimidate criminals is to build a good defense system. Several Antivirus The software solution is so good that it thwarts all hacking attempts.
Hide your information if necessary. Helps you avoid being tracked while browsing online. Prevent you from receiving phishing emails and prevent you from visiting suspicious websites.
The system also performs a scan of connected devices and quarantines suspicious files.
Change your password frequently
Cybercriminals love to use old stolen password databases.It’s safe if you maintain it good password Practice good hygiene and change your passcode every three months. Passwords should be at least 12 characters long and preferably include numbers, letters, and special symbols.
Scammers are less motivated when dealing with long and strong passwords. Enabling two-factor authentication can also prevent hackers from brute force into your bank accounts and profiles.
shop wisely
It’s spooky season again. shopping season.
Apart from only shopping at well-known online stores, a great way to scare away bad guys is to use credit cards instead of debit cards. Credit cards often come with insurance, so there’s a good chance you’ll get your money back even if you’re scammed.
However, if you purchase an item with a debit card and a hacker somehow steals your card information, your bank account may be depleted and your bank can do little to restore the stolen funds.
Follow the tips above to make a spooky season even spookier for scammers. Keeping the bad guys away will give you more time to enjoy and prepare for the fall festivities. holiday.