Updates

  • Ten Tips to Avoid Familiar Fraud This Valentine’s DayFebruary 11, 2019

    heart boards over faces


    This post comes from CyberScout, one of Barton Mutual’s partners in providing cyber liability insurance to our policyholders. If you are interested in cyber insurance for yourself or your small business, contact one of our independent agents today.

    1. Use strong passwords and password protect computers and mobile devices. If you have trouble keeping track of passwords, consider a password generation and storage tool.
    2. Always keep passwords and PIN numbers private—even from friends and family.
    3. Share minimal personal information on online dating sites.
    4. Set social media privacy options to conservative levels.
    5. If you have young children, ask the credit bureaus whether a credit file exists for your child. If yes, place a credit freeze on the file and start to remediate any fraud.
    6. Take off your heart-shaped goggles and trust your gut. If a new love interest seems too good to be true, do more research.
    7. Don’t send money to online dating interests for any reason.
    8. Only logon to your online dating apps on private computing devices over secure Wi-Fi.
    9. List a fake birthday on nonofficial sites such as social media and online dating. Pick one you can easily remember that is close to your birthday, but a little different.
    10. Obtain a credit and identity monitoring service to stay vigilant against familiar fraud and other financial identity theft.

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