Cyber Monday Mayhem – Avoiding Phishing Scams

Before you dive into Cyber Monday, make sure you take these steps to avoid falling for any phishing scams this holiday season. Remember, legitimate businesses will never ask you to give them your personal information via email. If a business you do business with asks for your personal information via email, do not respond. Instead, call the company and ask them to send you a link through which you can log in and change your account information. This will protect you from any phishing scams that may be out there. Here are some other tips to help you keep your data safe:

• Change your passwords regularly. A hacker may be able to guess or crack a password, but if you change it regularly, they will only get access to the account for a short period of time.
• Use two-factor authentication. Once you log in to an account, your computer will generate a code that you need to enter in addition to your password. This way, even if the hacker knows your password and gets into the account, they won’t be able to do anything without access to the code.
• Shopping on a smart device? Use your computer. It’s harder to install keylogging software on a desktop or laptop than on a phone, so make sure you’re using your primary device to make online payments.
• Keep tabs on your personal info. If you lose your wallet and someone finds it, they might have access to more than just your cash. Be sure to keep an eye on your credit score and bank accounts so that you can monitor any suspicious activity.

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