Time For Summer Vacations!

It’s time for summer vacations but it’s important to take a few minutes to give your online security some thought and planning. The bad guys are out there worldwide just waiting for you to let your guard down so they can steal your identity or invade your bank account.

• Compared to last year your risk of being attacked online has increased 23.9%.
• 90% of global cybercrimes are social engineering attacks like phishing or scams
• There is a hacker attack every 39 seconds.

Here are some tips on how to protect yourself while away from home.

1. Update your devices. Make sure your software and apps are updated on all the devices you plan to take with you. This will keep you safer from viruses, malware, and other threats.
2. Back up all your data. Losing your phone to a thief is no fun at all but if you have everything safely backed up you should be able to recover most of your photos and data.
3. Make a copy of everything in your wallet. Take everything out of your wallet and either copy or make a photo of everything, front and back. Then either print that information on paper or store it on a thumb drive you carry with you in a secure location (not in your phone or in your wallet). That way if either is lost or stolen you have a huge head start on replacing credit cards, IDs, etc. You can also report your credit cards missing more easily this way.
4. Plan ahead for browsing the web. Sure those roaming fees add up but using a public wi-fi could end up costing you a whole lot more. Figure out your data package before you go. Also, see if your phone has a “hot spot” you can use for secure internet access.
5. Let your bank and credit card companies know you will be traveling. That way you will lessen the risk of having transactions declined or have the inconvenience of having to contact them while enjoying your vacation.

Implementing these tips can make your holiday safer.

While there is no way to be 100% safe, implementing these simple and free tips can add to your peace of mind while traveling and make your time away from home more enjoyable. Happy vacationing. If you have a real estate need or question we’re here to help.