By Mike DuBose
Criminals exploit speed, fear and trust.
The telephone and internet have made life easier, but they have also opened our homes, cars, businesses and smartphones to criminals thousands of miles away. Robocalls, fraudulent texts and emails, and official-looking websites arrive daily.
Artificial intelligence has made it easier for criminals to imitate voices, create convincing messages and impersonate relatives, banks, businesses and government agencies.
Their strongest weapon, however, is not technology. It is emotion.
A message may claim that a grandchild is in jail, a package cannot be delivered, an account has been suspended, a toll remains unpaid or a warrant has been issued because you missed jury duty. Criminals want you to feel frightened, threatened and rushed into acting before you have time to think.
When something seems suspicious, stop communicating and independently contact the legitimate organization involved.
Stop unwanted calls and texts
Begin by registering your home and mobile telephone numbers for free at DoNotCall.gov. The registry can reduce calls from legitimate marketers, although it does little to stop criminals who ignore the law.
Activate your telephone carrier’s spam-blocking and call-labeling features. If your phone offers Silence Unknown Callers or live voicemail screening, consider using those features.
Reputable call-blocking services and apps can provide another layer of protection. Compare current features and prices before subscribing.
If your phone permits live voicemail screening, you can read a message as it is being left and answer when you recognize a legitimate caller.
Do not press a number simply because a robocall tells you to do so to be removed from a calling list. Doing so may confirm that your telephone number is active.
Block repeat offenders, keep trusted contacts updated in your address book and use a generic voicemail greeting that reveals little personal information.
With suspicious texts and emails, don’t click links, reply or call telephone numbers provided in the message. Even responding “STOP” or “Unsubscribe” to a suspicious message can confirm that your number or email address is active.
Instead, use your phone or email provider’s Report Junk/Spam function and then block the sender.
Outsmart impersonators
Caller ID is not proof of identity. Criminals can spoof familiar names, local telephone numbers, banks and government agencies.
Emails and websites can also be made to look official.
Never use contact information supplied in a suspicious message to investigate the claim. Hang up and call the number printed on your bank card or account statement, or open an official app or website you already know and trust.
Never disclose passwords, verification codes, Social Security numbers, bank information or credit-card information to an unexpected caller or message sender.
Avoid sending cash, cryptocurrency or gift cards to resolve an alleged emergency.
If someone claims a relative is in trouble, contact that relative or another trusted family member directly using a telephone number you already have.
Be particularly cautious with messages involving:
- Missed package deliveries
- Unpaid tolls
- Tax refunds
- Suspended subscriptions
- Invoices
- Charity requests
- Investment opportunities
- Prizes or sweepstakes
- Technical-support warnings
Do not open unexpected attachments or give someone claiming to represent a legitimate organization remote access to your computer or cellphone.
If you are uncertain, stop communicating and ask a trusted person for a second opinion.
Lock down accounts and credit
Use different passwords for important accounts. Longer passwords or passphrases are preferable, and avoid names, birthdays and commonly used words.
Never use the same password for multiple important accounts.
Password managers such as 1Password, Bitwarden, Keeper and Proton Pass can create and store unique passwords.
Turn on two-step or multifactor authentication for email, banking, investment, shopping and social-media accounts. Multifactor authentication provides an additional method of verifying your identity, such as an authenticator app, security key, biometric identification or one-time code.
Enable automatic updates for smartphones, computers, browsers, applications, routers and security software. Updates frequently address security vulnerabilities that criminals could otherwise exploit.
Consider placing a credit freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A credit freeze can make it more difficult for identity thieves to open new credit accounts in your name. A freeze does not lower your credit score and can be temporarily lifted when you legitimately need to apply for credit.
Review your credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com.
Regularly examine bank, investment and credit-card statements. Activate account alerts for large purchases, logins, withdrawals and transfers so suspicious activity can be detected quickly.
Protect your internet connection
Change the factory-default password on your internet or Wi-Fi router and use the strongest available security settings. Keep the router’s firmware updated.
Avoid conducting sensitive financial transactions over unsecured public Wi-Fi. Use a trusted, secure connection whenever possible.
Before discarding or giving away an old telephone, tablet or computer, back up information you need, sign out of accounts and erase the device according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Protect mail and personal information
Shred documents and mail containing account numbers, Social Security information or financial information.
Use secure electronic autopay when practical.
If mailing a check, consider placing it inside an envelope so the check cannot be seen through the mail. For particularly sensitive payments, consider taking the envelope inside a post office rather than leaving it in an outdoor mailbox or collection box.
Limit the personal information you share on social media and voicemail. Birthdates, vacation plans, family names and other seemingly harmless details can help criminals make impersonation attempts more convincing.
Be cautious about clicking “unsubscribe” links unless you recognize the business that sent the message. A fraudulent unsubscribe link could lead to a malicious website.
For suspicious email, use your email provider’s spam or junk-mail controls rather than clicking links in the message.
Be especially skeptical when someone asks you to move a conversation to another platform, keep a transaction secret or act immediately.
If you think you have been scammed, act quickly — but don’t panic
Contact your bank, credit-card issuer or investment company using a verified telephone number or official website. Ask whether transactions can be stopped or reversed.
Change compromised passwords from a clean device and enable multifactor authentication.
Preserve evidence, including messages, emails, receipts, telephone numbers and screenshots. This information may be useful when reporting the crime to financial institutions or law enforcement.
You may also want to review your homeowners insurance to determine whether an optional endorsement provides coverage for certain types of cybercrime or identity-related losses.
Bottom line
No protection is perfect, but some preparation can make you and your family much more difficult targets.
The most valuable rule is simple:
When an unexpected message demands immediate action, stop, think and verify before responding.
A more detailed chart accompanying this article is available at MikeDuBose.com/cybercrime and can be shared with family and friends.
Visit MikeDuBose.com for free access to his books, including The Art of Building Great Businesses, as well as more than 100 published articles on business, travel, health and personal topics.
