Do consumers know how to protect themselves online?

Author : teriann

Often if you ask anyone if they think they can protect themselves, the answer is yes.  There is always a likelihood that you will be able to fight off an attacker depending on their size or if they have a weapon.

For most Jamaicans being able to defend themselves is as easy as taking a breath.  However, it is not so easy to know how to protect yourself online.

A few days ago, a friend of mine recounted the unhappy experience she had at the A.T.M. machine.  She had gone to withdraw some funds only to discover that she had been a victim of debit card cloning as someone had withdrawn all the money in her account without her knowledge.

Distressed and angry, she had to face intensive interrogations by bank officials as well as the police before she was able to get back her money.

The experience left a bitter taste in her mouth as she had no idea of how the thief had gotten her pin number.

The sad truth is that criminals are getting more sophisticated in their methods of stealing from their unsuspecting victims.   Even if you don’t visit A.T.M’s they can still find a way to clone your card with the use of a variety of scams.

Scams

There are a number of scams that criminals use that attack the vulnerable.  One scam involves handing over money or giving them access to a bank account in the hopes of making more money.

Some scams target you with the guise of a friend asking for help. These common email scam involves hacking into an email account then emailing everyone in your contact list with a plea for help as they are stranded in a foreign country.

How can you prevent yourself from being taken into a scam?

Do not share your login access codes for Online Services with any third party.

Do not access your bank, brokerage or other financial services information at Internet cafes or other public spaces.

Limit financial information on your laptop or hand-held device.

Never leave your computer unattended while using any online banking or investing service.

Do not respond to emails appearing to be from your bank, government office or other entity that request personal information such as User IDs, Passwords, Personal Identification Number (PIN), Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN), etc.

Delete email messages that appear to be spam or contain suspicious attachments.

Do not open unexpected attachments from known or unknown sources.

Report suspicious activity on your accounts immediately to the appropriate parties.

So if you follow the steps outlined above then you will be protected!

What’s your take? Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Paisley

Gleaner online writer

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2 Responses to “Do consumers know how to protect themselves online?”

  1. Almando says:
    August 23, 2015 at 11:19 am

    Re: Do consumers know how to protect themselves online?

    An important effort in protecting yourself online is to arm oneself with an antivirus software with Internet security features. It really doesn’t matter which platform or device you are executing transaction – Mac, PC, tablet, smartphone or OSX, Linux, Windows, IOS, and Android. With out this, it can be a difficult task to remain safe.

    The Internet security features should address spams, malicious files and attachments, fake websites or URL, websites with poor reputation, and privacy etc.

  2. teriann says:
    August 23, 2015 at 4:22 pm

    Thanks for the suggestions Almando!

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