Protect your devices
With an estimated 4.8 billion people - more than 62 percent of the population - utilizing online technology worldwide, the importance of enhanced cybersecurity measures to combat digital fraud and theft increases every day. Online scams and hackers are becoming more sophisticated and attempts to swipe unsuspecting individuals' identities and hard-earned money are getting harder to detect and stop.
While businesses and financial organizations take a host of precautions to protect against online fraud, the best protector of your personal information and funds is you. Investing a few minutes to review the effectiveness of your digital security measures this October - National Cybersecurity Awareness Month could save you from unrecoverable loss.
It's important to emphasize the potential vulnerability of all Internet-connected devices. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency wants everyone to remember, if you can connect it, you need to protect it.
Busey Bank in partnership with CISA offer these tips to help you protect yourself from losing personal information or valuable funds - which you may never recover.
• Be up to date
No matter the device, the best defense is to stay updated on the latest security software, web browser and operating systems. Enabling automatic updates is recommended to ensure your devices are protected.
• Keep tabs on your apps
Your mobile device could be filled with apps using default permissions that you never realized you approved. Check your app permissions and learn to just say "no" to privilege requests that don't make sense.
• Shake up your password protocol
Changing your device's factory settings from the default password is one of the most important steps to protect your devices. Consider using the longest password or passphrase permissible, as well as unique passwords for each application or device.
• Double your log-in protection
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure the only person who has access to your account is you. Use it for email, banking, social media and any other service that requires you to log in.
Every day, thousands of individuals fall victim to phishing attempts - or fraudulent emails, texts and calls from scammers imitating their financial institution according to the American Bankers Association (ABA). In conjunction with National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Busey and the ABA are teaming up to provide tips for spotting phishing attempts through the social media campaign, #BanksNeverAskThat.
To protect yourself from scammers, watch out for the following red flags:
• Beware of suspicious links, scare tactics
Banks will never send you a text or email asking you to click a questionable link. Additionally, scam emails may pressure or threaten you to respond. Ignore it and call your bank directly.
• Protect your confidential information
Your bank will never ask you to provide private information (your account number, Social Security number, password, etc.) through email or text messages.
They will only ask for confidential information to verify your identity when you call customer service numbers.
• Call the number on your card
If you receive a form of communication that you believe to be a scam, play it safe. Hang up immediately and dial the number on the back of your card for assistance.
• Report your suspicions
Forward suspected phishing emails to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. If you receive a phishing text message - beware of texts from 5000 or other unrecognized numbers - forward it to SPAM (7726).
• For additional tips from the American Bankers Association- and to test your scam IQ, visit www.banksneveraskthat.com.
Further resources can be found on the CISA website at www.cisa.gov/ncsam.
Busey Bank offers additional resources and tips on social media and online at www.busey.com/moneymatters.