8 ways to avoid being hacked

I have been involved in providing automated solutions for businesses for years. I have prepared detailed presentations and spoken at events, repeatedly warning clients and our staff how to avoid being hacked. However, a couple of weeks ago I came seconds close to being a victim!

What happened? I was at a parking meter in Chicago trying to use my credit card to get a parking ticket for my car. The card failed the first time, but after a few tries it finally went through. I attributed the incident to freezing weather and a frozen parking meter. Seconds later, I received a text message saying, “Your card has been restricted. Please call us at 312-985-5635.” I received a similar email from VISA in the past when my card was hacked.

“312” is a Chicago area code, and I figured VISA was worried about the multiple hits on the meter, so I was about to call the number but got suspicious. Instead, I called the VISA number on the back of my card. VISA said my card was not on hold and everything was fine. Always call the number on the back of the card! Case in point: never let your guard down. A simple coincidence like the one above can make it seem real and logical. I did a web search for the phone number and sure enough, it is a known scam phone number.

What are some common ways you can protect yourself?

  1. Avoid phishing emails. 156 Million are shipped globally daily. 10% fall for a scam and share their personal information. Any email that suggests great urgency or entertainment value, especially with a link, should be avoided. A clever trick used is to emulate a popular email address by just changing one letter. When you are in a hurry (and who is not) it is very easy to click on them. Would you click on an email from DisneyyWorld.com, complete with a photo of Mickey, to see a tempting vacation deal?
  2. Avoid Smishing Text Messages. Same as phishing but to text messages.
  3. Use various security programs and update them frequently. Don’t trust just one program. Not updating is the same as not having them because new viruses come out every day.
  4. Stay away from “spooky places” when you’re browsing. If you have a terrible feeling that something is wrong but you’ve already clicked on the site, there’s an easy way to check if it’s safe. In Internet Explorer®, click on the lock image at the top right of your browser. That will check the site’s validation certificate to let you know if it matches. If the site is okay, it will say, “This certificate is okay.” This means that whoever says they own it, does. If you’re in Chrome®, you need to click on the 3 dots and go to More Tools and then scroll down a few layers to find this under Security. Some browsers do not support this feature. Be very careful what you click when power browsing.
  5. Create a better password. Use 2-factor authentication. Never store passwords on your computer. Update and vary passwords routinely. Use 20 characters or more. If you can’t live doing all of these things, at least pick a couple of things that will be better than doing nothing.
  6. We all know ghost messages from friends. Some are responding to emails you didn’t send. Most contain a tempting link that you never want to click. Interestingly, as I was writing this, I just received one of these. Very common. Easy to click in a pinch. Look carefully before you click.
  7. Locked computer. While browsing, he gets a terrifying message about how the police have detected a virus on his computer. You have been blocked by Ransomware. don’t pay. It won’t make a difference.
  8. Ignore pop-up ads informing you that a computer virus has been detected. These often tell you to click and the virus will be removed.

Piracy/viruses are a very serious problem. In general, all circumstances can be avoided by incorporating a simple thought process before proceeding and taking the proper precautions. Everyone is rushing through the day, so quick clicks are very common and hackers know it. It’s always best to fully read the content and evaluate all emails and text messages before responding in any way. If you don’t have time to fully evaluate, please leave the message until you have time to read it thoroughly. Keep your antivirus updated and browse safely!

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