Vacation Mode: Tips for you to consider

What do Email, Text, social media, and Online Messaging all have in common? They can all be used to share memories from around the world, but they can also be used to distribute phishing attacks. The new reality of phishing is that they are using a multipronged approach; they are now reaching your social media feed, text messages, and phone calls.

Technology is ever-evolving. If you have been on any social media or news outlets, you have seen something regarding Artificial Intelligence. It is important to be aware of new technologies to know the potential benefits and risks they can introduce. Proper due diligence should be completed on any new technology you use.

The IRS identified in 2022 that there were more than 5.5 billion dollars in tax-related scams and an additional 31.6 billion in other related financial crimes (IRS 2023 Annual Report).

Here are four tips to keep you and your information safe while enjoying the convenience of shopping online.

As we head into the busy shopping season, there are crucial things to remember while searching for that perfect gift. While you are shopping, so are others...for your information.

Update Software Promptly for safety. When we see an update alert, many of us tend to hit “Remind me later.” Think twice before delaying a software update! Keeping software up to date is an easy way to stay safer online.

MFA provides extra security for our online accounts and apps. This security could be a code sent via text or email or generated by an app, or biometrics like fingerprints and facial recognition. Using MFA confirms our identities when logging into our accounts.

WEAK PASSWORDS are the most common way online criminals access accounts.

Avoid Phishing Scams with Three Simple Tips:
Phishing scams are online messages designed to look like they’re from a trusted source. We may open what we thought was a safe email, attachment or image only to find ourselves exposed to malware or a scammer looking for our personal data. The good news is we can take precautions to protect our important data. Learn to
recognize the signs and report phishing to protect devices and data.

This is the 20th Cybersecurity Awareness Month and it has grown into a collaborative effort between government and industry to enhance cybersecurity awareness, encourage actions by the public to reduce online risk and generated discussion on cyber threats on a national and global scale.

We will be posting articles each week in our NEWS section, with a link to an article pertaining to different cybersecurity safety topics.

PHYSICAL SECURITY: Cybersecurity begins with strong physical security. Lapses in physical security can expose sensitive company data to identity theft, with potentially serious consequences. Here are some examples: An employee leaves a flash drive on a table unattended-papers are thrown away in the trash that should be shredded-a window or door is left unlocked...

The use of digital payments has significantly grown over the past ten years, especially post-2020. Its inception is often paired with online retailers and resell stores, like eBay, bringing the application PayPal into the scene. Nowadays, consumers use digital payments, from online bill pay to splitting dinner with their friends. With the rise of new products like Zelle ®, Venmo, Cash App, Google Pay, and Apple Pay, one thing is clear; peer-to-peer digital transactions are here to stay. Just as new technology grows, so does its counterpart – scams. Scammers are utilizing the urgency and convenience of digital payments to scam consumers. What does this mean for you?

When dining out or visiting other public establishments, keep purses, backpacks, bags, etc. within your sight at all times, rather than hanging on the back of your chair or under a table! Thieves sitting at adjacent tables are clandestinely removing wallets, credit/debit cards, etc. from the bag as it hangs on a chair, unbeknownst to the victim, then leaving and quickly making large purchases at local stores using the stolen credit and/or debit cards.

With vacation time right around the corner, the FCC and the FBI recently released warnings about Juice Jacking. Juice Jacking refers to the threat of malicious access gained to your phone or other USB devices when plugged into a public charging kiosk – such as at an airport. The FCC originally published this warning in 2019.

When it comes to texting scams, the key is knowing how to respond - and when not too. Scammers are always trying to find a way into your life. Just when anti-spam technology started to limit the number of robocalls we get, fraudsters started sneaking into our phones through another window...our text messages.