Spring Cleaning For Your Digital Devices
Spring is the season of fresh starts, and that includes protecting yourself from online fraud and scams. As cybercriminals get more sophisticated, a little digital housekeeping can go a long way in keeping your personal information safe.
Follow these five simple steps to scam-proof your digital life:
Update software to block known threats. Fraudsters often exploit holes in outdates apps and systems. Update your devices, browsers, and apps regularly to patch vulnerabilities before scammers can take advantage.
Strengthen Your Password Game: Weak or reused passwords are a scammer’s dream. Use strong, unique passwords for every account, and store them in a password manager. Did you know that if you use a password manager, it can help spot phishing sites. If your password manager isn’t auto-filling your password, it might be a fake site.
Purge any unused accounts. Every old account you don’t use is a potential backdoor for fraud. Delete or deactivate what you no longer need. Less exposure = fewer targets for scammers.
Turn on 2FA everywhere you can. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) makes it much harder for fraudsters to hijack your accounts—even if they get your password. Think of it as a digital deadbolt. The important thing to remember with 2FA, is that the code you are sent should only be used by you, do not give that code to anyone else for any reason.
Lastly stay scam aware. Scams evolve and so should you. Be skeptical of unexpected messages, urgent requests, or “too good to be true” offers. And remember no legit organization will ask you for your login information or personal details over email or text.
Want to stay a step ahead of scammers? Be sure to stay up to date with OURCU’s Vested in Your Protection Fraud Blog every month, in May we will cover Investment Scams and the red flags to watch out for!
