Just as in real life, the internet is riddled with people trying to harm you. Luckily, you can follow a few simple rules to significantly reduce your risk of becoming a scam victim.

The overarching rule you can follow is if something seems too good to be true, it most likely is. We can assure you that if a Nigerian Prince wanted to share his fortune with you, he wouldn’t be emailing you about it.

Keep your devices up to date – Updates often include fixes to discovered vulnerabilities. You can even turn on auto-updates, so you will receive the newest security fixes as soon as they are available. Click here to learn how to install an update on an iPhone.

Use strong passwords – Weak passwords are one of the easiest ways for someone to gain access to your online accounts. Many people use easy-to-remember ones such as “password” or “123456,” which are easily guessable for online thieves. In addition to a strong password, you should set up two-factor authentication. Click here to see our guide on everything you need to know to choose a secure password. 

If you do not recognize or are not expecting an email, delete it without clicking on anything – One of the most common ways people fall victim to scammers is by opening email attachments. Many will be invoices that claim you owe money, often for antivirus services. Once you open the email (because you do not remember purchasing it), the malware will be included in the attached PDF, Word, or HTML document. The moral of the story is if you do not recognize the email, just delete it without opening the attachments or clicking on any links.

Be cautious about what you download – Only download something if it comes from a reputable site and looks legitimate. Cybercriminals hope you will download things from non-reputable sources, allowing them to install malware on your computer.

Only enter your credit card information into secure websites that you trust – You can quickly tell if a website is secured by looking at the URL (the website address in the search bar). If it begins with https:, it is secure. If the “s” is missing (http:), the website is not secure, so you should not trust it with your personal information (including credit card info).

Avoid downloading pirated movies, music, games, etc. – These types of pirated content are ideal for hackers to use to deliver malware. You may think it is only a movie, but in reality, it is a movie and also installs malicious software onto your device.

Don’t share personal information that seems unnecessary – For example, if someone calls you claiming to be your cousin, but you don’t recognize the phone number, and then, they ask for your credit card information, they probably are not your cousin. Use common sense, and if something seems odd, ask follow-up questions before providing sensitive personal information.

When in public, use your phone hotspot instead of public Wi-Fi – While many stores, restaurants, and cafes offer public Wi-Fi, it is best not to connect to them. Because they are publicly accessible, it is easy for someone to install a virus onto your phone, tablet, or computer. Instead, use the hotspot on your phone (most modern phones have them), and connect your other devices to that.

Backup your data regularly – Frequent backups to the cloud or an external hard drive are integral to staying safe online. With a recent backup, if your device becomes infected with malware, you can easily restore the backup of the version without the virus. If you need guidance setting up a backup system, please schedule a session with a Shark!

If you diligently follow these tips, you will significantly reduce the chances of joining the millions of people who fall victim to cyber-attacks annually.

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