In the digital age, where our lives are intertwined with technology, scammers and hackers lurk in the shadows, always on the prowl for a chance to breach our defenses. They craft their schemes with a facade of legitimacy and an air of urgency, preying on the unsuspecting. It’s a game of wits where staying one step ahead is the key to safety.
Let’s take a look at a real-life scenario that underscores the importance of vigilance:
7 steps to outsmart digital intruders
3) Enable two-factor authentication for any account impacted by the phishing scam: This would include both your Apple ID and your email address. If you have this additional layer of security on, the hacker or scammer would have to have a code sent to your another device or account to gain access even with your password. When you step up the two-factor authentication, choose a device that isn’t your iPhone if possible so if your phone becomes compromised you can still gain access.
MORE: HOW A FLAW IN IPHONE’S SECURITY COULD LEAVE YOU LOCKED OUT
4) Check your email settings: See if there are rules set up to forward emails. If there are any rules set up, delete any you didn’t set up so your messages aren’t forwarded to someone else’s address.
5) Get SIM-swapping protection added to your phone: SIM-swapping fraud is when someone gains control of your cell phone number by moving it to a new SIM card. If you want to add SIM-swapping protection to your phone, you can contact your provider to see if this feature can be added.
6) Use strong antivirus software:
7) Get identity theft protection: While getting an identity theft service seems like overkill, many identity theft protection services actually provide dark web monitoring services. They continually monitor the dark web to see if any crucial pieces of personal information like your email addresses or social security number end up compromised or up for sale on the dark web. Getting those alerts immediately gives you the opportunity to act faster and take the other steps listed above. If you already gave out your information to a potential scammer, you should follow these steps to monitor that your identity hasn’t gotten stolen.
up to 1 million dollars to cover losses and legal feesUS-based case manager helps you recover any losses
CyberGuy’s Exclusive Offer:
8) Remove your personal information from the internet: While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap – and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.
My top recommendation is Incogni, which has a very clean interface and will scan 195 websites for your information and remove it and keep it removed.
Special for CyberGuy Readers (60% off): Incogni offers A 30-day money-back guarantee and then charges a special CyberGuy discount only through the links in this article of $5.99/month for one person (billed annually) or $13.19/month for your family (up to 4 people) on their annual plan and get a fully automated data removal service, including recurring removal from 175+ data brokers. You can add up to 3 emails, 3 home addresses and 3 phone numbers (U.S. citizens only) and have them removed from data-broker databases. I recommend the family plan because it works out to only $4.12 per person per month for year-round coverage. It’s an excellent service, and I highly recommend at least trying it out to see what it’s all about.
MORE: CAN AI HELP SOMEONE STAGE A FAKE KIDNAPPING CAM AGAINST YOUR FAMILY?
Kurt’s key takeaways
Despite our best efforts and intentions, we all will or have fallen for a phishing scam at one point or another. Instead of letting the fear of the inevitable terrorize your digital life, take the precautionary steps listed above to stay one step ahead of the scammers even if you slip up.
In what ways do you think technology companies can further enhance user security against cyber threats? Let us know in the comments below.
TO GET MORE OF MY SECURITY ALERTS, SUBSCRIBE TO MY FREE CYBERGUY REPORT NEWSLETTER
Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. CyberGuy.com articles and content may contain affiliate links that earn a commission when purchases are made.