Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and all of the other social media platforms are a great way to keep in touch with family and friends. They are also becoming a great way to learn about new products and technologies. The world is becoming small and smaller. Those systems are also becoming a great place for hackers to trick people into giving them access to their system. I’m going to give you a few great rules to follow to protect yourself.
Rule #1
Stop filling out those online surveys
“What is your Rapper Name?” or “What Disney Character Would You Be?” Many times, these surveys are used to install virus software on your system. In some cases, you are also approving them to access your connections and read your social media feed for marketing purposes.
Rule #2
No one wants to give you anything for free
One recent scam that made the news was a free $75 Bed, Bath and Beyond gift certificate. The claim was if you filled out a survey (See Rule #1) and then shared it with your friends, you would earn the certificate. It was a scam, and a simple mouse hover over the link made it very clear the site was not associated with Bed, Bath and Beyond.
Rule #3
When in doubt, use “High-Speed Voice Technology”
Let’s say you really want that Bed, Bath and Beyond gift certificate and are tempted to click on it. Instead of doing that, pick up the phone and call the company and ask them if this offer is legitimate. The same goes for spam emails or phishing emails. If something gets sent from a friend that does not look right, CALL THEM. Not only are you helping yourself, you might be helping them, too. When in doubt with any of the above, I would recommend consulting with your technology professional.
I would love to hear your feedback, or if you would like to make a suggestion for a future article, reach out to me at Anthony@helpmepcs.com or on Twitter @PCS_AnthonyM. Stay Safe!
