Staying Safe Online
Securing your digits online these days is a serious problem for the majority of internet users. With more and more of us using online services for banking, credit card transactions and storing sensitive information about our financial wellbeing, the opportunity for hackers and phishers to get their hands on our personal information has never been greater. The problem arises as more and more elements of our lives are transferred from the safety of our pockets to the internet. The technology itself is not to blame and the ability to pay wirelessly over the counter for goods with our phones, or to be able to transfer funds from one bank account to another at the click of a button has no doubt made all our lives easier but it has it has inevitably put us at greater risk.
In a survey performed by Integrated Payment System, 43% of online users have reported being the target of phishing scams. Phishing occurs when a bogus web page is set up, looking like a reputable website login page such as Facebook or Twitter, and asks users to resubmit their account information. This information is then stolen and the passwords changed so the victim can no longer use those accounts. You may not think that losing your Facebook or Twitter account would be such a big deal, but the personal information that is contained within these accounts can be used for all manner of nefarious activities. Now the owner of the bogus web page has your email address and Facebook account information they can begin to navigate their way through your online life, picking up sensitive bits of information here and there to build up a profile and access other online accounts you own. These phishing scams have become more and more sophisticated over the years, and are not only restricted to social media sites, with banks and financial service company websites often the target.
The important thing is to be sensible online rather than paranoid. Social media websites and banking websites are, almost always, totally secure. You wouldn’t go sharing your personal information to all and sundry in a local park on a Saturday afternoon, so don’t post it online for all the world wide web to see. Ensure your Facebook and Twitter accounts do not hold any personal information such as your phone number and your address (sometimes this is all it takes to become the victim of an experienced hacker) and if those accounts do hold personal information then make sure it is either removed or locked down so that only people you want to see it can see it.
Be careful of linking multiple email accounts and social media accounts together. With all your security stacked together like a group of dominos, when one falls, so too will the rest, one after another. Once a hacker opens one door then the next one only becomes easier to open. With access to one of your email accounts, even if you don’t use it regularly or simply use that address for spam mail or for work, your personal account will be next on the hacker’s list and it won’t take them long.
After that your world is their oyster. Your credit card details, bank accounts, internet history, contact details and even your personal photos are all up for grabs. It’s almost too easy to fall victim to one of these scams. We are forever poised on a knife edge as we surf the web dropping hints and tips to hackers without even realising. The technology is available for us to accept online payments, transfer money from one account to another, even pay for our shopping with our smart phones, but we shouldn’t let this abundance of convenience outrun our security.
It is of paramount importance to be sensible and think things through. Don't leave your information hanging out on the internet's dirty washing line; it will be found. There are plenty of security systems in place, both on the web and offline when shopping on the high street, which you can use to protect yourself against online fraudsters. Keep your wits about you and stay vigilant. Only you can prevent online fraud!
