How does one stay as safe as possible? Short answer… It takes work and diligence. Some sounds basic, some a little more complicated. Scammers are forever playing the game of getting as much data as possible so limiting your personal data is the goal. Let’s start with the basics.
Basics:
Have a strong password on all devices, secure sites, and applications. Its best if they aren’t all the same too. Change your passwords often. Sounds simple but most don’t manage passwords well. Keep a log book near your computer and write them down or use your memo function in your phone and change them often (every month or two).
Be wary of opening emails and “click this” type of features. Clicking links or opening attachments is how many viruses get launched into your device. Be very wary as they can come from known emails of friends and family that have been hacked unknowingly. You can always call the sender to voice verify the sent piece and verify if it’s “real”. Don’t be bashful…. I have seen cases where only through someone calling to verify an email, did the sender learn of their email being hacked.
Utilize a strong security suite on your devices. Make sure it has a firewall, and a good anti-virus program that updates automatically. Also make sure it runs constantly and is always turned on. A VPN is also huge and most of the better packages have them built in. More on that later.
When it comes to phone calls, the rule of thumb is unless you know the person calling, don’t answer. Let it go to voicemail and listen carefully before you respond (if you need to respond). Be skeptical…. always. Assume the call is from a scammer and proceed on that basis. If there is any question in your mind as to legitimacy, have a spouse or family member listen before you respond. Many scammers use the phone and tactically use pressure techniques to get people off guard. They pretend to be something they are not to get you to give them your information. The IRS, law enforcement, Amazon, and financial institutions don’t usually call so be wary. If you must respond (or feel the need to check it out), call the supposed institution (bank, credit card, amazon) directly on their public 800 number. You can find contact info on their website. Don’t call back the number that left the voicemail. Better yet, have your spouse or family member call with you. Remember, they use pressure and immediacy to get people off guard and respond so don’t feel pressured.
With the mail (regular old snail mail) the best advice is limit what you do. Going paperless is usually best as “dumpster diving” and “mailbox mining” are very much a thing. That’s both with incoming and outgoing mail. Shred anything important before you put it in the trash. Personal information from the trash can go a long way towards scammers piecing together enough info to potentially open credit in your name. Don’t give them a head start.
More advanced stuff:
As we mentioned a VPN… That stands for “virtual private network” and is the next level of security. The main purpose of a VPN is to hide your online activity. VPNs are often used to guard against hackers and snoops on public networks, but they're also useful for hiding your IP address, browsing activity, and personal data on any Wi-Fi network — even at home. If you are on a laptop or tablet and access it in public, a VPN is critical. Why…..with a VPN your web traffic and IP address can't be tracked... A premium quality VPN encrypts data and hides your IP address by routing your activity through a VPN server; even if someone tries to track you, all they'll see is the VPN server's IP address and complete gibberish. You can subscribe and utilize a VPN in short order. Nord VPN, Norton VPN, and Surfshark VPN are all some of the larger and more well-used services to name a few. Installation on a computer or smartphone is pretty easy. Sign up for the service, install it, and turn it on each device you use.
Last (for now) but probably the most important….. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) on ALL your “money accounts”. This includes credit cards, bank accounts, investment and insurance accounts, amazon account, and Apple ID log in. Can also be done and highly recommended with social media accounts. Essentially MFA requires you to verify identity whenever you (or somebody else) attempt to log into the account. Notification is sent to you via text message, phone call, or ping text. You then authorize the activity by entering an access code. If you don’t enter the code, you (or a potential hacker) cannot get into the account. Acts as a pretty good block to someone accessing these accounts. Easy to set up and you do it when you log into the account(s) and go to your security settings preferences. Set up MFA for every transaction and set up a security code.
While nothing makes you “bulletproof” and complete anonymity doesn’t exist, doing what you can and being vigilant are the best defense in keeping your information yours. Enlist your family and get help if you aren’t comfortable in making changes. For the over 60 crowd, enlist your smart kids or grandkids in the effort. They will be happy to help and guide you along the way. The more you do, the better off you will be, You will learn a lot along the way!
If you would like to talk further, don’t hesitate to reach out. Thanks (as always) for listening.