Cyber Security Awareness For Consumers

Cyber security is extremely important, especially in this day and age, which is why October is recognized as National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Without the proper safeguards in place, your identity and personal data are at risk. Here are some cyber security tips to help raise awareness and protect you from cybercriminals.

Watch What You Share
Cybercriminals are using more advanced tactics to gain information. Attacks are designed based on extensive research of the information you share online. Cybercriminals scour social media for various personal details, from workplace and job titles to friends and activities. They use this information to manipulate unsuspecting victims, a tactic known as social engineering.

Examine Your URLs
Pay close attention to URLs. As mentioned, criminals are using smarter approaches. They use branded emails with logos and fonts that look like legitimate retailers to get you to click on malicious links.

To safeguard against these scams and avoid being redirected to a fake site, always type the retailer’s address into your browser. And always make sure the site begins with https:// (as opposed to http://). The “s” stands for secure and makes a big difference in your online safety.

Secure Payment Methods
Whenever you enter your credit or debit card details into an online form, you are susceptible to interception from cyber criminals. Dodge these risks by setting up a dedicated online shopping account with strict credit and overdraft limits, and with only enough money to buy what you need.

Listen To Your Suspicions
Trust your instinct. If it seems suspicious, don’t use it. Make sure you are keeping track of the retailers you are expecting shipments from. If you receive an email that contains tracking information from a courier service or retailer you have not used, do not open it. It will likely contain a tracking URL which is a malicious link in disguise. And the same goes for attachments as these could contain malicious code. To err on the safe side, manually type the courier service website into your browser.

Fallen Victim? Take Immediate Action
If you think you may have fallen victim to cyber crime, act fast!

• Report It To The Police
  Many cases go unreported every year, lending to the success rate of these cyber crimes. By reporting it to police, you can aid cyber criminal investigations help to shut down these operations for good.

• Report It To Your Bank
  As soon as you notice unusual account behavior or suspect something may be wrong, contact your bank and have your card cancelled immediately. In some cases, depending on the circumstance, you may be able to reverse the fraudulent charges and recover your money.

• Report It To The Business
  The business you thought you were buying from would benefit from knowing they are being impersonated online as you may not be the only victim. The business has the resources to track down the perpetrators and is likely familiar with the processes of getting suspicious websites blacklisted or shut down.

• Do Not Negotiate
  Ransomware attacks usually involve locking you out of your PC and asking for a ransom (in untraceable currencies like Bitcoin) to regain control. If you give in and pay the ransom, you will be identified as a soft target and they will be back.

Do you have any cyber security tips to share? Connect with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

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