When using personal passwords and personal details on any on line site, especially when going on internet banking apps, have you made the most of protective measures to stop fraud or hacking from occurring?
Would you consider it safe to use a public wifi hot spot to make changes or withdrawals? – please say no, as this would make you highly vulnerable to any hacker in the same place as you.
Passwords – do you change them regularly and use different ones for different sites that you use? have you heard of 3 totally random word passwords?
This is a link to what random passwords are, and how to use them for yourself –
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/three-random-words-or-thinkrandom-O
It is all about keeping hackers away from patterns on key strokes that you could make for certain passwords that could be guessed by their clever software apps.
Other advice – always log out fully from any banking or payment website, not just close down the page or turn the device to sleep first.
Update any banking application software as often as the bank requests so that the fullest bank protection is in place.
Bank cards with contactless payment facilities – scamming is a lot less prevelent than thought, but lost or stolen cards need to be promptly cancelled. or else the villain can use the card for many £29.99 purchase limit transactions as they can fit in prior to cards being stopped.
Many fraudulent transactions are done at petrol stations for multi fuel purchases within minutes of a stolen or lost card being in their possession.
It only takes a hoodie and different people to use the card to make tracing fraudulent users very hard, and prosecutions almost impossible.
A card can be handed around a gang very swiftly, and many purchases made very quickly, always looking out for no cctv fitted venues to shop in.
Do you look at bank statements closely every month, to ensure no small value transactions have taken place that you have no knowledge of, or sites where you do not recognise the shop or payee?
Card machines – ATM’S – do you check prior to using ATM’s, that they have no cloning device fitted, that will extract your personal details such as your pin number?
If the ATM “eats” your card, immediately report that to your bank. Have you got their 24 hour reporting number stored in your phone or have another card with their official number in a wallet or purse. Do not attempt to put in a 2nd card, as this may also disappear.
Be careful of being near an isolated ATM, with someone hovering in the background – they could be waiting for the cash to appear, ready to pounce. Use machines inside stores, or in well lit areas, where there is a form of lighting protection or staff available around the palce as their own in house security.
DON’T BE CAUGHT OUT WITH FRAUDS FROM INTERNET OR BANKING APPLICATIONS – THINK SAVVY AND PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL DETAILS AND PASSWORDS !
Next week – Courier fraud.