Cybersecurity Threats & Fraud April 2023
- What to look for.
- How to protect yourself.
- Tips for being more secure going forward.
Protecting yourself from Cybersecurity threats is more important than ever. With hackers and scams on the rise it is crucial that you are protected. One of the easiest and best ways to protect yourself is by continuing to educate yourself. Below I have laid out many of the top fraud types, their descriptions so you can identify them and solutions to prevent them.
Through this guide I want you to try and take away one thing you can change to prevent future fraud. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to me for further information or with questions.
| Threat Type | Characteristics/Description | Solutions |
| Imposter Fraud
| Trusted individual or business fronting as authentic.
| Try to limit what information you share online.
Consider anti-virus software.
Verify new and/or suspicious individual or business via new email, or phone call to the contact information you have previously saved.
|
| Phishing Fraud
| Email fraud that looks official.
Often contains a sense of urgency.
Can frequently see grammatical and spelling errors.
| Utilize spam filters.
Check domain (sender’s email address) before sharing any personal information or transferring money. You can do this by hovering over the sender’s name.
|
| Email Account Compromise
| Bad actors hack your email account settings to filter out confirmation emails from banks, title companies, advisory firms, etc.
Fraudulent email(s) regularly state that whoever they are impersonating is unreachable by phone or in person so are “forced” to email.
| Use multi-factor authentication whenever possible.
Restrict the creation of “email rule” within your email settings.
Verbally verify all requests for personal information and/or money movement with your bank, advisors, etc.
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Below I have laid out some additional tips to consider.
- Password Protection – Never use the same password for personal, bank and work logins. Use 8-12 characters, upper- and lowercase letters, and symbols. Additionally, change your passwords often.
- Anti-virus and Anti-spyware Software – Consider installing software to protect your computer physically and when you are online. It is critical that you keep this software up to date and run regular scans of your device. While this doesn’t guarantee anything, it is a great way to protect yourself.
- Further Resources – Use the Federal Trade Commission’s website to learn more about protecting yourself, opening a fraud case, getting credit score., and much more. To visit their website, click here.