Passphrases

Many digital users are switching to longer passphrases instead of passwords because they are safer and easier to remember! A passphrase is a sentence or combination of words that is unique to you and easy to recall. They also add an extra layer of security because they are much harder to guess than a single word or basic password. Remember to vary the different passphrases that you use for your different digital sign-ins!

Bad actors

The prevalence of imposter social media accounts and emails is on the rise. Always be on the watch for suspicious social media accounts, new followers that you are not familiar with, or any unusual requests. Imposter accounts can be really sneaky! Oftentimes only a single character is altered in the account name and the photos from the original account can be easily duplicated and posted. Be sure to carefully scan accounts before responding or interacting with these imposters.

Gifts galore

There are often many flashy digital offers that tempt you with the possibility of free money, gift cards, or bonus items. There is no such thing as free money or gifts! These gimmicks are intentionally designed as a trap to get your personal details or information. As enticing as these offers seem, it is important to stay as far away from them as possible, even if they are shared from a friend's account. Oftentimes the accounts of our close friends can be hacked with these enticing offers.

Enticing links

Scammers are clever individuals with a well organized business plan. They know exactly how to disguise those harmful links to entice digital users to click on them and follow their instructions. It can easily be an email posing as a well known company or organization, such as Amazon or a government agency, or it can even be a recognizable social media account indicating that you have won a prize. No reputable business or government official will ever ask for your personal details through an email or social media account. When in doubt, feel free to contact the business or individual directly, and they can confirm the status of the particular request or information in question.