October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. There are lots of good things about being online. There are also lots of bad things. When you’re online, it’s easy to give away your information, or have your information stolen. This is called internet fraud. Internet fraud is when someone steals your information and then uses it as their own. Who’s at risk? People who shop online. People who use email and social media. People who use internet banking. If you put your information out there, someone can steal it.
Here are a few tips on how to avoid internet fraud:
1. Check your bank statements.
2. Don’t open emails from senders you don’t recognize.
3. Don’t use file sharing.
4. Destroy information before throwing it out.
5. Never give out your bank or credit card pin code.
6. Use safe sites.
7. Choose a password that uses numbers and upper and lowercase letters.
There are lots of fake emails that look real. They may offer cheap things, but these deals aren't real. When you look closely, they are scams. Your email account will get many fake emails. Most go to junk mail. They usually want you to click a link, or they may want you to change your password. They may want you to enter a password or ask for banking information. Just like fake emails, there are fake websites too. They are called phishing sites. They can pop up if your computer has a virus. Sometimes, the address is spelt a bit differently. It may look like a site you know. Don’t be fooled! There will be small things to notice.
Check out our free download from our Practical Life Skills: Managing Money ready-made lesson plan for help on how to spot a fake email. Get your free download here.