As you may or may not be aware, there was a recent report that over 2.9 billion data records, possibly including Social Security numbers, were obtained through a worldwide online data breach in April. As with many other scams or hacks, it is essential to be aware of potential attempts to steal or actual instances of your information being stolen. Here are some tips to protect yourself from falling victim:
- Make sure your antivirus is up to date and perform security scans on all your devices. If you find malware, most antivirus programs should be able to remove it, but in some cases, you may need professional help.
- Update your passwords for bank accounts, email accounts and other services you use, and make sure they are strong and different for every account. Include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and punctuation marks, and never use personal information that a hacker could guess.
- Use multifactor authentication for any accounts or services that offer it to ensure you are the person logging in.
- Check your credit report and report any unauthorized use of of your credit cards. If you notice any suspicious activity, you can ask credit bureaus to freeze your credit.
- Be careful with your email and social media accounts, and beware of phishing, an attempt to get your personal information by misrepresenting who a message or email is from.
As always, if you suspect you have fallen victim to this or any scam, please get in touch with our department for further assistance.
