How to Reduce Your Risk of Being a Victim of Cybercrime

These scams aren't always in the kinds of places you'd expect either. Online casinos such as Borgata are legit businesses, and you can find multiple positive reviews about them online. Bonusfinder published a super detailed review, so there are no secrets. So where should you be vigilant about online scams? Well, your email for one: even those purportedly coming from your friends.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem like any end in sight for individuals or businesses being forced to confront cybercrime. But that doesn't mean there isn't anything you can do. Here are five ways you can hopefully prevent succumbing to the malicious acts of cybercriminals.

Use a Strong Password

Many hackers access the back doors of supposedly secure websites by exploiting vulnerable passwords that are easy to guess. Of course, you want a password that’s easy to remember. The problem is that it also risks the safety of your computer, as well as potentially your finances. Choose a password that’s at least eight characters long, and includes letters, numbers, and symbols. You should also avoid using any words closely related to you.

Don’t Give it Out

Make sure you don’t give access to your password-protected sites if you aren’t present. If you do grant them access, change your password afterwards. While your computer may be safe, theirs may not be. Even someone with the very best of intentions can cause you to fall foul of cybercrime by accident if their device is infected and yields its history to a hacker.

Stay Low Tech

If you keep a spreadsheet to store all your passwords and other sensitive digital files, consider storing them on a backup computer that you don’t keep online. Alternatively, you can use a free file encryption tool to encrypt the files. You could even print out your files, safely store them, and delete any electronic versions you may have.

Stay Away from Bad Neighbourhoods

We’re at more risk of being victimised, robbed, assaulted by another crime when in the presence of certain actions and behaviours. The Internet is no different. Visiting scam sites, viewing adult content, or mingling in hacker chatrooms ensures you’re at a higher risk of cybercrime than if you limit your Internet activity to trusted sites.

Watch Out For Pop-Ups and Emails

Fraudulent text messages and emails are both common and increasingly convincing. If a pop-up window or an email asks you for your username or password, don’t enter it. Instead, visit the site directly in your browser. If you remain unconvinced, contact the individual or company that supposedly contacted you. A reputable company would never ask for your username or password by email. Of course, there are other kinds of email scams, such as asking people to send Bitcoin. Just be vigilant when receiving an email from somebody you don't know.

Maintain Two Locations

For some added protection, you could keep your files in more than one location. Copy your encrypted files to a flash drive or DVD and give it to a friend or family member you can trust. That way, if your computer gets infected and becomes temporarily unusable, you’ll still have access to your files.

Conclusion

If you’re concerned about your financial activities making you vulnerable to cybercrime, such as online banking or your credit card, your concern is justified. To avoid being a victim of cybercrime, focus on what you need to do to defend both yourself and your computer. Keep a regular check on your financial accounts to ensure you haven’t fallen foul to fraudulent activity. And if you see any activity you don’t recognise, get in touch with your financial institution right away.

Check the comment section for additional information, or share what you know or ask a question about this article, by clicking the 'View or Write Comment' button below.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.