My Mom is 90. She’s in generally good health but she’s kind of forgetful. Three times in a matter of months my mom has had someone hack into her bank account. My brothers and I couldn’t figure out why this kept happening until mom mentioned a call she had received. Cyber a-holes, the only thing I think they deserve to be called, called my mom and convinced her to give out her bank account information. They told her that they were her bank, and, unfortunately, she believed them. They didn’t get away with it, and her bank was super helpful in rectifying the situation. But this got me thinking about these jerks, and what any of us can do to protect ourselves. So if you want to protect yourself from cyber crimes, here are a few things you can do.
Don’t Give Away Personal Information in Your Email Address
The other day, at my store, we were getting some basic information from a customer so that she could join our loyalty program. She gave Holly her email address: msmith82656@gmail.com. Do you see a problem with this? If you don’t, hold on to your hat. It’s not her real email, by-the-way, but this was the format and if you don’t see the problem with her email address, you could be a target too. She has her name in her email, like most of us do, but those numbers are not just random; they are her birth date, including the year! This is a very big no-no and could make you more vulnerable to cyber bad guys. Because with your name and birth date cyber criminals can find out a lot about you. If your email contains this information, change it today.
Change Your Passwords Often to Protect Yourself From Cyber Crimes
I know, it’s a pain in the butt, but this is one of the BEST ways to protect yourself from cyber crimes. You want to remember your passwords, that I get, but you don’t want them to be found out by the bad guys. I asked an engineer friend of mine who had a great suggestion. He said to keep a little book of sites and passwords, and write the passwords in pencil. You can erase and re-record new passwords whenever you change them. And DON’T and I repeat DON’T store the passwords in your phone or on your computer. This is tantamount to a “Here Are My Passwords” welcome mat.
Use Two-Factors Authentication to Protect Yourself From Cyber Crimes
You can hear me from the front of the store, Consignments Ltd., on the daily. “How many security codes are these people going to send to me just to get into my own account?” But you know what, I asked a cyber expert and she said this is one of the best ways to prevent cyber crimes, even though it takes more time. So let the site (your bank, your airline, your financial planner) send a code to your phone for verification that it’s you. It only takes a minute. Getting your life back in order after a cyber hack can take months. It’s worth the extra few minutes to protect yourself from cyber crimes.
For more safety-related blogs, check out: Fire Safety Checklist For Your Home and Fall Home Maintenance Tasks.
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