Online Safety
With technology becoming more and more predominate in our everyday lives, it is important to be aware how to stay safe online.
From viruses to scams, there are many factors out there that could hinder your online safety, your financial information, or even your identity. Here are a few tips to help you play it safe when using the Internet.
Staying Safe on Public Wi-Fi
Whether it be at your local coffee shop or library, you need to be cautious while using a public Wi-Fi connection. In many instances, public Wi-Fi connections may not be as protected as your connection at home or work.
- When connecting, make sure you have the correct network. Sometimes cyber thieves will make duplicate Wi-Fi hotspots with very similar names.
- If you are in a public space, do not visit personal banking websites or shop online.
- Try not to get on your work email while being connected to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, rather, use your personal account.
Avoiding Scams
When shopping online, only purchase merchandise from reputable sellers.
- If a website does not have any visible contact information, or only accepts wire transfers or cash, be wary to send your banking information.
- When you get on your e-mail, do not click on links that are unfamiliar or in the ‘spam’ folder. If an unfamiliar email comes in with attached pictures, do NOT open these pictures. Often, they contain viruses.
- Always remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Smart Passwords
To ensure online safety, having a secure password is extremely important. A strong password should be at least eight characters long with a good mix of upper and lowercase letters and numbers.
- Using a common word or phrase is a bad idea, since a common hacker technique is to use ‘dictionary hacking,’ which attempts common word and number combinations. Thinking of new or even fake words can be a great way to prevent a hacker.
- Be sure to use different usernames and passwords for the different sites you visit.
- Be sure to change your password every 90 days.
Watch out for ‘Phishing’
Internet phishing utilizes phony e-mail and popup messages as bait to hook unsuspecting Internet users into giving out personal information to use for identification theft. To avoid phishing:
- watch out for urgent e-mails that request personal or financial information. If the email contains links that does NOT start with http://, it is not a secured website.
- Do not give any personal information on unsecure sites.
- Make sure to download an anti-virus software on your computer and keep it up to date.
Playing it Safe Online
Get your coverage through TrueNorth so you can rest assured you are staying safe online. Call us at 319-364-5193, and a personal insurance agent will gladly add Identity Theft coverage to your plan. When it comes to your identity and financial information, do not risk it.