Tag: BBB | SpinSafe

BBB column: Protect your personal information this National Data Privacy Day | Local News

January 22, 2023/in Computer Security

National Data Privacy Day is Jan. 28 and it’s the perfect time to take extra precautions to secure your personally identifiable information (PII). We all share large amounts of information when we use the internet. Our devices communicate with us – and with each other – for ease of shopping, banking, travel arrangements, and keeping in touch with friends. BBB reminds consumers to keep data safe from scams, fraud and identity theft.

“Quite a bit of information is already shared online via various devices,” said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB Central East Texas. “That’s why whenever you’re online, it’s important to safeguard your information to help avoid scams, fraud, and identity theft.”

The Better Business Bureau and the National Cyber Security Alliance offer the following tips to help secure the privacy of critical information:

Share with care. What you post can last a lifetime, so think about who will see your posts and photos, how they will be perceived, and what information they reveal about you.

Own your online presence. Set the privacy and security settings on web services and devices to your comfort level for information sharing. Remember, it’s OK to limit how and with whom you share information.

Value your personal information. Think of your personal information like money: value and protect it. Be careful what sites you visit and be sure you are on a legitimate site before entering personal information. Be especially wary of communications that implore you to act immediately, offer something that sounds too good to be true, or ask for personal information.

Make your passwords strong and secure. Use long passwords with a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols – the longer the better– up to sixteen characters for email and financial accounts. Don’t use the same password. Keep a paper list of your passwords in a safe place, not on or near your computer. Consider using a password vault application.

Lock down your login. For your online accounts, use the strongest authentication tools available. Your user names and passwords are no longer enough; consider multi-factor…

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BBB: Pennsylvanians should be wary of new tech support scam with ‘adult twist’

September 9, 2022/in Computer Security

This scam can quickly turn from an innocent conversation about a slow computer to the “representative” accusing a household member of watching adult videos.

PENNSYLVANIA, USA — The newest scam sweeping the states is an old trick with an “adult twist.”

According to the Better Business Bureau, the scam is easy to avoid, in theory. It stems from something being wrong with the victim’s home computer or internet connection. The victim will search online for a customer support phone number, and—in a rush to fix the problem—will click on the top result.

A company “representative” will answer and ask a few standard questions about your device, such as the make and model number.

At first, the call will appear normal, but it will quickly take a turn. The “tech support representative” will insist that someone in your house has been watching adult videos.

In a recent report, the scammer asked the caller if they had a teenage son and then insisted the boy was to blame. In another case, “tech support” claimed that thousands of people had been using the caller’s IP address to view adult content.

The end goal? The scammer wants to sell the victim expensive computer security software, which typically costs anywhere between $200 and $900.

This software, however, will not fix the victim’s computer or internet access. In some cases, the scammers will also want remote access to your computer. Allowing them access only enables them to install malware that records passwords, keystrokes, and other files that hold personal information.

The best way to avoid these scams?

Never open attachments or links in emails from unknown senders. These can generate fake warning pop-ups that prompt you to make a call to scammers. If you get a suspicious pop-up alert, don’t click on anything and restart your computer, tablet or…

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Update your passwords, lock down your login: BBB

April 10, 2022/in Computer Security

A 2020 report released by Statistics Canada found that more than 40 per cent of Canadians experienced a cyber-security incident at the start of the pandemic, BBB states.

The warmer weather that comes with spring time often inspires people to lighten things up, clear the clutter and refresh their homes.

However, one area that many people tend to overlook are the very same devices they use everyday, perhaps even right now.

After a year of increased online activity, along with the prevalence of more sophisticated cyberattacks, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is reminding the public to declutter their digital devices.

Over the last few years, the focus on cybersecurity and protecting sensitive information has become increasingly critical.

A 2020 report released by Statistics Canada found that more than 40 per cent of Canadians experienced a cyber-security incident at the start of the pandemic.

An Insurance Bureau of Canada report also noted that nearly half of Canadian small businesses suffered a cyberattack, costing upwards of $100,000 in 2021.

BBB recommends doing a digital makeover to safeguard you against potential threats that could compromise your personal data.

Here are seven BBB tips to help you with your digital spring cleaning:

1. Declutter digital devices. Delete unused apps and keep others current by updating them as needed. Apps collect data about you and your behaviour, so get rid of those that you are not using as they could be sharing your information. Also be sure to actively manage location services, microphone usage, as well as access to your camera and photos on all apps.

2. Do a file purge. Take a look at your records and delete those you don’t need. This can also include cleaning up your email inboxes and backing up your most important documents on a secure cloud site or external hard drive. Try the 3-2-1 rule: 3 backup copies, 2 different media types and 1 offline in a separate location.

3. Lock down your login. Your security is at risk when you neglect the importance of restricting unauthorized access to your online accounts. Use passwords and passphrases that are lengthy, unique and safely stored away. Instead of using…

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BBB: Back-to-School internet safety tips | Business

August 14, 2021/in Mobile Security

For most districts in our area, school will be back in session within the next few weeks. And because many have incorporated some kind of online learning into school programming, it’s more important than ever for parents, teachers, administrators and students to be aware of potential online threats. BBB reminds consumers to be on the lookout for online predators this back-to-school season.

“As more of our lives and our children’s lives are conducted online,” Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB Serving Central East Texas said. “It’s important for parents and administrators to create guidelines and to provide education about online safety.”

Know what your child is doing online. Keep track of the social media sites and accounts to which your children have access. Many sites are designed to collect and sell unauthorized user details and behaviors to advertisers looking to engage in targeted marketing. Make sure your children are aware of the existence of online predators.

Watch out for click bait.Whether it’s in the form of contests and giveaways, surveys, too good to be true prices, or the latest trends, click bait is designed to entice or attract attention thinly disguised to collectpersonal or financial information. Make sure your children know to steer clear and don’t have access to banking or credit card information.

Understand apps. Certain apps might collect and share personal information about your child or target your child with ads. Even free apps may include paid features, which children may not understand. This could result in a hefty bill at the end of the month. Remember to turn location settings off, or at the very least to turn them on only while using the app.

Usefile sharing sites with caution. Many websites allow children to download free media. Unfortunately, these sites often come with the risk of downloading viruses or malware, giving identity thieves access to your information.

Read privacy policies together and understand privacy settings. Teach children to read the privacy policies and terms of use of any apps or websites they want to use. Remind them of the importance of knowing what they are signing…

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