Navigating the Digital Age: Secure Message Practices For Protecting Your Personal Information

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Social media has created unending opportunities for people to connect and even do business. The social media platform is among the most common messaging platforms used by people to share information. However, for long users of social media platforms have been sharing sensitive and personal information albeit with the risk that such information has been leaked to unwarranted persons. Besides, people are now waking up to the reality of the online presence footprint that cyber bullies are using to prey on innocent consumers of social media.

Navigating the Digital Age Secure Message Practices For Protecting Your Personal Information

The rising cases of cybercrimes over leaked personal and sensitive information are causing a great wave of awakening among social media users. Some of the cyber bullies will trace the online presence of innocent consumers of social media, leak the information shared between people, and ask for monetary ransom to delete the messages, many people have already fallen victim to these malicious activities done by tracing the online digital presence of people online.

However, there are various ways through which social media users can send secure messages without risking the leaks to cyber bullies. Nonetheless, remaining safe online should be the responsibility of the social media consumer. While most of these platforms are embracing security measures to secure the users, the users must remain vigilant. Here are a variety of factors that social media users can embrace to navigate the digital age while protecting their personal and sensitive information from leaking.

  1. Understand a secure message

    A secure message is beyond a normal text sent over the messaging platforms. It goes to understanding the privacy and security features that secure messages on social media platforms. One of the common and very effective secure message security features is end-to-end encryption. It ensures that the messages are only sent and received through the send and the receiver directly and coded into a language that cannot be readable easily. However, even though the messages are sent through servers that may have an opportunity to have traces, the encrypted messages cannot be decoded by any other persons except the receiver. Therefore, secure messages make it difficult for cyberbullies to access the information shared through the platforms.

  2. Choose your platforms wisely

    The messaging platform through which the users exchange messages means a lot. A weak messaging platform in terms of security features may risk the user’s exchange of messages which can lead to bad situations. Therefore, the user of social media must be vigilant about the privacy and security features of the social media platforms. In most of these platforms, when a user is signing up for an account to use, they are required to agree with the security and privacy policies. Users should read these policies through to be sure of the firewalls set in place to protect their privacy while on the platforms. Users should settle for social media platform which has stringent security and privacy policies that guides on safety of the users online.

  3. Regularly update the apps

    Cyber-security is a field that is ever evolving, and messaging app developers are constantly refining and enhancing their applications to retina the most stringent security features. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the users of these apps to ensure they use the most updated versions of the applications. Many cyber bullies are always surfing social media users with the absolute versions which poses great risks to the security and privacy of the users. Therefore, by updating the applications, the users ensure that they are up to date with the security systems developed to secure their online presence.

  4. Be aware of phishing attempts

    Even with the stringiest security systems, if the users of these platforms are not vigilant enough not to fall victim the phishing accounts, they can still get their information accessed by unwarranted persons. Therefore, users should be vigilant to identify and shun the phishing attempts. Most of these attempts are circulated through attractive adverts and social media circulation notes that ask the target groups to click on links where they are redirected to other platforms or websites and have their information database broken into. Users should not only shun these attempts but should also avoid clicking on links that are not shared online when they are not sure of the contents.

  5. Add up double verification to the social media accounts

    The developers of social media platforms are coming up with innovative methods of securing the privacy of their users. One of the unique ways the users of these platforms can add a layer of security is by signing up for the double verification mechanism. That way, they are required to verify their login attempts twice to access their account. This method helps to secure the accounts and limit the chances of the cyber bullies Fromm accessing the accounts. Double verification has helped many digital space users fall victim to cyber attackers. Every time the users of the social media platforms get prompts for verification when they have not triggered the log-in, they get an alert that someone somewhere could be attempting to access their accounts.

    Users of social media must remain vigilant in the present age to avoid falling prey to cybercrime offenders. They must ensure that they embrace a variety of safety measures whenever they are online. The idea is to limit the online footprint as much as possible to ensure that the users remain anonymous and untraceable as possible. Moreover, private messaging platforms are also developing where users can share information and messages without having the necessary to sign up accounts. Therefore, the sender can remain as anonymous as possible. These platforms come with added security layers for the privacy and security of the users. Additionally, the self-destructing technology has also evolved to be a game changer in social media platforms. These are the single-view settings that are developed where the sender can limit the time the receiver has with the message once it is opened. Once the set time elapses, the message is self-destroyed from the receiver and the sender ends without any traces of recovery.

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

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

Navigating the Digital Age: Secure Message Practices For Protecting Your Personal Information