- Delete any online communication that looks suspicious, even if you think you know the source. Be careful about following links – especially links sent to you via email.
- Create strong passwords by using a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. Do not use one password for all your accounts!!
- Make copies of your pictures, videos, and other digital documents by routinely backing up your systems.
- Assume that the email you received from your bank is fraudulent. Do not reply to it. Instead, go directly to your bank's website and log in to your account or contact them via telephone to clarify matters. The same advice is good to follow whenever personal information is being solicited and there is even a little doubt to the authenticity of the email. Better safe than sorry, right?
- Know that there are people out there who earn their livelihood by scamming people via the Internet or email. Be wary, they can be devious and clever.
- Use the Internet to check it out! If you receive a communication that you are not sure of, it is often helpful to put the first sentence or the subject line of the email into a search engine. That is because there is a good chance that the scammers use the same verbiage over and over again and that someone has already reported it. This can also be useful with phone numbers and addresses.
Craig Rhinehart
Director of Information Technology
