3 Things To Protect Yourself in 2018

I’m going to keep this short and sweet. Here are simple and proven recommendations to keep yourself safe and secure:

1. Software Updates:  When you receive a notification to update your software from a trusted source, make that update happen ASAP.  Typically one of the reasons for the update is to plug potential security gaps.
2. Too Good to Be True:  Regardless of whether you receive an offer online or in the real world, if the offer seems too good to be true then more than likely it is.  Don’t click on the link.  Delete the email.  Don’t provide your personal information (especially your social security number).  If it’s a phone call, hang up.  If you don’t engage the scammer, they can’t engage with you.
3. Email Scams (Phishing):  The scammer will send you an email that looks like an official email from a company you already do business with and in that email they will be requesting information.  These fake emails can be hard to detect. If you feel for any reason there is something “fishy” with the email, type in the URL of the website yourself rather than clicking on a link. Or call the contacting company’s customer service.  Only use the phone number that you’ve used in the past or taken from their official website — do not use a phone number provided in the potentially phishing email.
   

To sum it up… Keep updated!  Don’t engage if it’s too good to be true.  And if you’re unsure, go to the source.