Sharing a video from a seminar we’re giving at community centers around the Bay Area. The goal is to educate people (of all ages) to the schemes scammers are using with far too much success.
Here are the “Fix it before” (it gets broken) Do’s and Don’ts.
DO
- Freeze your credit
- Install protection software (firewall, anti-virus, anti-spy, privacy settings)
- eXamine deceptive emails, texts, sites, calls without clicking
- Install a password manager (and pass code on your phone)
- Turn on two factor authentication on all sensitive sites (any with bank/credit card links) and enable credit card alerts.
- Backup your files and your phone
- Force your phone and computer software to be up-to-date and enable spam blocking/alerting calls/texts
DO NOT
- Reuse Passwords
- Keep passwords on a file on your computer (especially one titled “passwords”)
- Believe emails – scary (“shutting down your email”, “thanks for your order”, or too good to be true (“you’ve won!”)
- Follow links, even those sent by friends, without “hovering” first
- Call the number offered in the urgent email, find the real number online
- Click on attachments without checking file name extensions (better yet, don’t click!)
- Connect to “free” Wi-Fi sites while traveling, hotel, coffee shops without using a VPN (free with many of the protection software products)
- Carry blank checks or your social security Card in your wallet
NEVER
- Share your screen with someone remote, unless you really know or are related to them
- Share the two-factor access codes sent to your phone
- Send money via wire, bitcoin, or purchase gift cards for someone you don’t know
- Give your SSN, or credit card number to someone over the phone
Contact the author if you’d like this seminar given in your community.