Don’t save your passwords
This goes for online logins to sensitive sites like banking and investment policies, not to mention saving the details to your local computer in a Word or Excel file. Rather stay old school and keep a hard copy of important login details if you must in your safe at home or under your mattress. If anyone were to access your machine, they could access all of your personal information including passwords that are saved.
Remember: The safest password is the one that is only in your head!
Keep your credit card details to yourself
It is becoming more and more common to make purchases online by credit card. Although the convenience of this has most of us clicking away at our next Amazon product, it must be kept in mind that even though the encryption on VISA and MasterCard internet payment gateways are becoming more advanced in terms of security, there are still hackers out there trying everything they can to get around that security.
Forget the hype, don’t swipe!
Don’t help that friendly stranger on email
The notorious 416 or 419 scams are one of the most insidious ways that criminals prey on the goodwill of others. Typically you will receive an email pleading to help them transfer a large sum of money out of their country, with promises of paying you a big share of course. A victim will pay money to the scammer, in order to “pay for the money” to be transferred to them. They are required to provide all of their very sensitive banking details and personal identity information for the scammer to be able to transfer the money. Needless to say, the victim’s bank account is promptly cleaned out, leaving them with no money and no recourse. Never pay for money, that is the scammiest scam of all!
