For everyone who has ever said “I would never fall for that,” there are numerous stories of people who lost money, time and credit ratings to cyber criminals. We all want to believe that the holiday season is a time that brings out the best in people. Thankfully, that’s true in most cases. Still, there are astonishing numbers of scammers who continue to find ways to trick people out of their hard-earned money, often without you knowing until it’s too late. And worse, the incidence of “ransomware” attacks—where foreign scammers literally kidnap sensitive information from companies online until they pay—are increasing.
That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to recommendations for keeping your information secure and not becoming an easy target for identity theft.
As part of the 5th Annual National Tax Security Awareness Week, the IRS has issued new warnings, noting that a combination of factors have presented more opportunities than usual for scammers to gain access to your personal information this year. For instance, more people working from home, increased online shopping, and the backlog of unemployment claims.Whether you are using a desktop computer, a laptop, or your smartphone(!) there are a number of basic steps we can all take to help protect ourselves from identity theft and cyber scams.
The list below from the IRS outlines a number of things you should do:
- Don’t forget to use security software for computers and mobile phones – and keep it updated.
- Make sure purchased anti-virus software has a feature to stop malware, and there is a firewall that can prevent intrusions.
- Phishing scams – like imposter emails, calls and texts – are the No. 1 way thieves steal personal data. Don’t open links or attachments on suspicious emails. This year, fraud scams related to COVID-19 and the Economic Impact Payment are common.
- Use strong and unique passwords for online accounts. Use a phrase or series of words that can be easily remembered or use a password manager.
- Use multi-factor authentication whenever possible. Many email providers and social media sites offer this feature. It helps prevents thieves from easily hacking accounts.
- Shop at sites where the web address begins with “https” – the “s” is for secure communications over the computer network. Also, look for the “padlock” icon in the browser window.
- Don’t shop on unsecured public Wi-Fi in places like a mall. Remember, thieves can eavesdrop.
- At home, secure home Wi-Fis with a password. With more homes connected to the web, secured systems become more important, from wireless printers, wireless door locks to wireless thermometers. These can be access points for identity thieves.
- Back up files on computers and mobile phones. A cloud service or an external hard drive can be used to copy information from computers or phones – providing an important place to recover financial or tax data.
- Working from home? Consider creating a virtual private network (VPN) to securely connect to your workplace.
You can find additional information and resource links on the IRS website here.
