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BBB Accredited Business, Northeastern Protection Services, has some tips on protecting yourself in the digital age. The digital world is evolving day by day; therefore, these tips can be useful for both consumers and business owners.
We interact daily in ways we don’t usually think about, and each of these interactions is tracked. Let’s think about a typical day for many people:
Many of us start our day by checking social media or email messages, then off we go to work or some other destination in our car. Maybe we make a stop at our favourite coffee shop, gas station or other usual place of business. A quick swipe of your parking pass, another swipe of the card to access your workplace, then you start your work day! Each one of these activities has been tracked and recorded in multiple ways. From your online interactions, your debit or credit card exchanges, to your access control cards at your workplace, all of these are tracked. Then there are the cameras recording everything from your face, to your car, and your license plate – you have a digital footprint! If you interact online or leave your home, it is unavoidable.
I was once asked “how do we put the genie back in the bottle” – it is simple, you can’t. There are things you can do to better protect yourself in the digital age:
1. Use strong passwords on everything you do online. Not just a number or a symbol added to your mother’s maiden name. You can be creative and use a phrase with a combination of letters, numbers and symbols. Get used to it, online accounts will require stronger passwords.
2. Use equally strong passwords on your computer, router, or other devices on your home network.
3. Closely monitor your financial statements from banks, insurance companies, investments or other financial institutions.
4. Never share your Social Insurance Number with ANYONE other than your employer, your investment advisor (required for tax reasons), and the government. If you are asked for your SIN,
politely decline as no one requires it.
5. Do not allow anyone to take copy of your license or other government ID when applying for a loan. The requestor does not need to hard copy it, they can use it to verify it is you – they don’t need a physical copy.
6. Cancel any subscriptions or accounts you are not using and request verification of the cancellation.
7. Do not open email attachments without first verifying that the email is legitimate. Scammers can spoof email addresses – click on the senders email address to be sure it is accurate.
8. Sign out of accounts and turn of your computer when not in use.
9. Password Manager is a must for anyone who has an online presence. Paid subscription based/open source managers are the best option.
10. More than 12.5 billion email addresses have been hacked, to see if your email account has been compromised visit: haveibeenpwnd.com
The ability to opt out of an online presence is almost non-existent. The best option is to be cyber aware and cyber safe. Following recommended guidelines from trusted sources is always your best option.
This article was submitted through BBB Atlantic Provinces by BBB Accredited Business, Northeastern Protection Services.