Online identity theft has been a growing problem in recent years, particularly with more people existing online and scammers being more proficient in their abilities to trip individuals or organisations up when they least expect it.
As specialists in fraud, our solicitors can help anyone who finds themselves a victim of this criminal activity, helping recover assets as well as helping to mitigate damages done as a result.
With online identity theft becoming more of a problem, there are certainly ways in which you can protect yourself. From good password hygiene to being extra cautious online, we’ve put together a list of tips for protecting yourself. That way, you can prevent your own information or that of your company from being stolen and used without your consent.
Nowadays, it’s very common to make use of software and online tools for both personal and business needs.
That’s why it’s good to stay on top of any software updates that need to be made in order to keep out the fraudsters and scam artists. Regularly updating operating systems, browsers, and applications helps to patch security vulnerabilities.
At the same time, you should look at what antivirus/anti-malware you currently have in place and whether this is effective enough for what you require. This helps to protect your devices from malware that can steal your information if you’re not careful. Make sure to update this protective software when it comes to security patch updates.
As fraud lawyers, we know that passwords are a gateway for scammers, and if you’re not being proactive with changing your passwords regularly, then this can make you vulnerable.
Using strong and unique passwords is important, and it’s something that can make a big difference to how secure your accounts become as a result.
A password manager can be helpful when you’re struggling to remember all of the complex passwords you’ve set separately for each login. It can be a useful way of having just one password to remember, and it’s a more secure option when you want all of your passwords saved under one software.
The basics when it comes to passwords are to use something different for each account and to ensure the password itself isn’t personal to anything you own or may be related to your life that could be easily guessed.
Two-factor authentication is a layer of security that you could really benefit from, so it’s something that you should definitely be making use of where applicable.
With two-factor authentication it requires the individual logging into the account to enter a code that’s sent to a secondary device. Usually, this is a personal mobile phone or an email, not something that the scammer will typically have access to.
That said, two-factor authentication can therefore stop the scammers from getting any further beyond the login page.
Phishing attempts are common and something to be mindful of when it comes to navigating a personal life or work life, in particular.
Our criminal solicitors are often dealing with acts of fraud that involve phishing scams. This method of scamming involves emails and messages that are designed to steal your information. They may look like they come from someone you know, but in reality, they contain a link to something that will download a virus to your device.
Never click on suspicious links, and be mindful of where you give away any personal information.
Protecting your personal information is important. As mentioned above, you should be wary of who you give this information to.
Be careful about what information you share on social media platforms and other online spaces. This can be used by scammers to build profiles and information required to create a perfect scam for you in question.
Always be thorough when getting rid of sensitive documents, and monitor all of your accounts carefully.
It can really help to stay informed and to be vigilant at all times, whether you’re protecting yourself as an individual from fraud or as a company. Staying up-to-date with the latest scams and threats can be helpful.
Reporting any suspicious activity is also useful, especially when it comes to potential identity theft attempts. While there’s less policing online then there is in-person, the policing of online crimes is improving as more of them unfortunately happen.
It’s always good to stay ahead of the scammers and to be aware of the current methods they’re using in order to capture people out. Even the most proficient and knowledgeable people online can fall victim because it only takes a slip or mistake to be made.
Finally, if you’re a business, then auditing it for security vulnerabilities is crucial. For our 24 hour solicitors, many have dealt with businesses that weren’t proactive enough when it came to vulnerabilities that scammers exploited for the purpose of fraud or stealing information.
While our fraud solicitors offer the best services for those who are victims of fraud or scams, auditing your business can be a great way to prevent becoming a victim in the first place. Auditing, much like you would your finances or IT security, is something you should do specifically for cybersecurity too.
We offer a wealth of legal services, whether you’re looking to deal with tax fraud or need a criminal lawyer to represent you in court. Whether you’re a business or individual, it’s worth getting in touch to see how we can help you.
Online identity theft is rife, and you never know when you could be next. Therefore, you want to be mindful of the efforts you’re currently making to prevent yourself from becoming a victim. Follow these tips and tricks to give yourself the best chance of protecting yourself or your business online this year and every year from here on out.
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