It’s almost time for the annual tradition of pumpkin carving, trick or treat and spooky costumes but there are scary cyber-goblins lurking round every corner all year round and they’re just waiting to trick you out of your precious data and personal information.

Cybercrime is an ever-increasing problem, affecting individuals and businesses alike. No one is safe from the would-be tricksters.

But before you run for the hills screaming there are a few things you can do to help prevent them from getting their claws into your precious data:

Beware of Phishing Scams
Don’t know the sender of an email you just received? Do not open any links and delta the message.
Similarly, if you receive a text about a delivery for an order you never made then proceed with caution. Check Royal Mail for any scams they’re currently aware of and do not click aunty links unless you are sure about the origin of the text.

Never use public Wi-Fi to access personal or financial information
It seems like an obvious one but always ensure you’re using a secure connection whenever you’re accessing personal data.

Update your security software
Yes, we know we say this all the time but honestly it needs repeating! This goes for all your devices.

Change your passwords
Another obvious one but many of us are guilty of reusing the same passwords for multiple online accounts or using easy to guess passwords and PINs. Consider using a password manager to help keep track of all your passwords and important information- check out PPC Mag’s comprehensive list here.

Turn off GPS, Bluetooth and other tracking apps when you’re not using them
Would-be hackers can use these features to track your location and access other information so only turn them on when you need them.

Keep an eye on your accounts
If you see any unusual charges on your bank or credit card accounts report them immediately.

• Backup your data
• Only download apps from trustworthy sources (Google Play Store/Apple’s App Store)

If you do fall victim to a phishing scam or malware attack, make sure you contact your bank and get any compromised accounts frozen or cancelled. 
 
Contact us if you need any further help checking your devices are safe to use or advice about keeping your devices safe this Halloween and beyond.

Most spam and scam emails will be caught by your email client but one or two are clever enough to creep in to your inbox. Would you know how to spot them if they do? These seven points should help you…
 

1. How does the sender greet you? Do they use your first name, or Mr/Mrs XXX? Or do they do something rather odd such as using the first part of your email address? For example: if your email address is [email protected], they might use ‘Dear ANOther’. This is a classic warning sign that the email might come from an untrustworthy source and you should not open it.
2. Poor spelling or grammar – does the email read as though it has been generated by a machine, or translated from another language? Are there spelling errors? Leave these emails well alone.
3. Is the email pressurising you into giving your password or any personal details? NEVER click on anything in such an email, ditch it immediately.
4. If you have not entered a competition, you can’t possibly have won a prize, no matter how amazing it seems. In general, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
5. If you are not expecting a delivery, don’t open any delivery notes, or invoices, especially if they come from a company you have never used.
6. Likewise, the Inland Revenue and other government departments will not use email as a first point of contact with you, if you have not recently been talking to them in some other way, don’t open emails purporting to be from them. More Info >
7. Scammers will often use an email address that looks similar to one you might use, but always look very carefully at them. The section after the @ symbol can be very telling, for instance a British company will usually have an email address ending in .co.uk or .org.uk  If it looks odd… it probably is.

 
In short, use your common sense and if an email doesn’t look right, leave well alone. It’s better to ignore an email and then receive another form of communication from a genuine sender than to open a scam email and have it corrupt your computer.

'Scam or Phishing Emails and 7 Ways to Spot Them’ - written for File Genie by Freelance Writer Ruth Raymer @WritingWalking