It's no longer a question of if you'll become a victim of a cyber incident, but when. Cyber-attacks are most prevalent around the holidays and come in many forms, including identity theft, virus infections or password hacking.
Here are a few simple precautions and expert tips to help arm you and your family with the knowledge to help keep you protected and reduce their cyber security risks while shopping online include:
1. Get Email and Web savvy. Ransomware attacks will be on the rise this holiday season. Email isn't the first thing on a digital shopper's mind while hunting for deals -- but maybe it should be. Scammers favorite tool to fool users is emails. Take the time to learn the difference between a scam e-mail and a legitimate email. Shop with major retailers and verify that you're using secure shopping sites.
2. Strong Passwords are your strongest defense. Use a unique password for each online website you access. Hackers count on you using the same password for all of your online accounts so they have access to all of your information.
3. Avoid the Porch Pirates. Make sure to use a shipping service that offers signature confirmation to avoid having your goods stolen off your doorstep. This is offered by USPS, FedEx, UPS, and other major carriers.
4. Monitor your credit report. Your identity is more valuable than credit cards, and have no expiration date.
5. Pay for purchases with your credit card or PayPal. Always complete the checkout process using your credit card rather than your debit card for the most secure transactions. This is due to the fact that your credit card purchases are protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act, reducing personal liability if your personal and financial information is used unlawfully.
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If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. My team of friendly tech experts are always standing by to answer your questions and help make your technology useful and fun. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829.
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