Recognizing and Preventing Cybercrimes
Have you, or someone you know, been a victim of a cybercrime? If so, you’re not alone. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), roughly 23 million people fell victim to identity theft in 2018, totaling $15.1 billion in financial losses, and the numbers keep growing. CapFed® is here to provide a few tips to help you recognize and prevent cybercrimes from happening to you.
Recognizing Cybercrime
As we spend more time on the internet, our demands for greater security exist, and that is why the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has put together The STOP.THINK.CONNECT.™ campaign. This campaign is a national public awareness effort that encourages the American public to be safe and more secure when going online.
According to CISA, there are three common cybercrimes:
1. Identity theft: Identity theft is when someone illegally gains or uses your personal information to purchase products and services or obtains credit in your name. If you receive a bill for something you didn’t purchase or see withdrawals from your account that you didn’t make, you may be a victim of identity theft.
2. Phishing attacks: Phishing attacks are legitimate-looking e-mails that appear to be from a trusted individual or organization, such as a financial institution or business, that contain malicious links or attachments. Cybercriminals are hoping you click on the link or attachment so they can collect your personal information or infect your machine with viruses.
3. Imposter scams: Imposter scams come in either an email or phone call from a seemingly friend, family member or government agency requesting you wire money, pay a fee that is due or provide your personal information.
How to Stay Safe
1. Apply vendor-provided patches to your applications and devices in a timely manner. Make sure your machine has the most up-to-date security software and your mobile devices always have the current operating system.
2. If you come across suspicious emails with attachments or links, particularly if you don’t know the source, delete it.
3. Always opt for strong authentication or passwords, especially for accounts that contain sensitive information like your bank or financial information.
To learn more about what CISA is doing and how to protect yourself, visit their website here.
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