Stop. Look. Verify.

How to Protect Yourself from Common Cyber Scams

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a timely reminder that protecting your personal and financial information starts with staying alert online.

Cyber criminals use emails, text messages, phone calls, and fake websites to trick people into sharing sensitive information, sending money, or clicking malicious links. While their tactics may change, their goal remains the same: to get you to act before you have time to think.

That's why one simple approach can help protect you from many common scams:

Stop. Look. Verify.

Before responding to an unexpected message, clicking a link, or sharing personal information, take a moment to follow these three steps.

1. Stop

‍Scammers often create a sense of urgency to pressure people into making quick decisions.
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You may receive messages claiming:

• Your bank account has been compromised
• Your password needs to be reset immediately
• Your flight has been cancelled
• A package cannot be delivered
• A family member needs emergency financial assistance

These messages are designed to make you react before you think. If you receive an unexpected email, text, or phone call, pause before taking action. A few extra moments could help you avoid becoming a victim of fraud.

‍Remember: Legitimate organizations typically provide ways to verify information and generally won't pressure you to make immediate decisions without allowing time to confirm the request.‍

2. Look

Once you've paused, take a closer look for signs that something may not be legitimate.

Check the Link

Before clicking a link in an email or text message:

• Look for misspellings or unusual characters in the web address
• Be cautious of shortened URLs that hide the destination
• Confirm the website address matches the organization's official domain

While a website displaying "https://" and a padlock icon indicates the connection is encrypted, scammers can also use encrypted websites. Treat these indicators as one piece of information, not proof that a site is trustworthy.

When in doubt, navigate directly to the company's website or mobile app rather than clicking a link.

Confirm the Sender

Scammers often impersonate trusted organizations, including financial institutions, delivery services, government agencies, and well-known businesses.

Watch for:

• Misspelled email addresses
• Unusual sender names
• Unexpected communications
• Messages that don't match the organization's typical style

If something seems unusual, verify the message independently before responding.

Question Unexpected Requests

Be cautious whenever someone unexpectedly asks you to:

• Send money
• Purchase gift cards
• Share passwords
• Provide account information
• Reveal one-time security codes

Scammers frequently impersonate friends, family members, coworkers, or businesses to gain your trust. If the request is legitimate, a quick phone call to a known, trusted number can help confirm it.

3. Verify

Before taking action, verify the request using a source you know and trust.

For example:

• Contact the company using the phone number listed on its official website
• Log in through the organizations official mobile app
• Call a family member or friend using a number you already have saved
• Visit the company's website by typing the address directly into your browser

Never rely solely on the contact information provided in a suspicious email, text message, or social media message. A few moments spent verifying can help prevent significant financial loss and identity theft.

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Protect Your Accounts

Even with careful habits, strong account security provides an additional layer of protection.

Consider these best practices:

• Create strong, unique passwords for every account
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever available
• Keep your devices and software updated
• Review account activity regularly for signs of unauthorized activity
• Consider using a reputable password manager to generate and securely store passwords

Password managers can help reduce password reuse, which is one of the most common factors in account compromise.

What to Do if You Clicked a Suspicious Link

Even the most cautious individuals can make a mistake. If you believe you've clicked a suspicious link or interacted with a potentially fraudulent message:

• Close the website immediately
• Do not enter additional information
• Change affected passwords as soon as possible
• Enable multi-factor authentication if it is not already active
• Run a security scan on your device
• Monitor your accounts for unusual activity
• Reach out to your financial institution if you suspect your account information has been compromised
• Report the scam to the appropriate organization or service provider

Acting quickly can help reduce the impact of a potential compromise.

Stop. Look. Verify.

Cyber criminals are constantly looking for opportunities to exploit trust, urgency, and distraction. Fortunately, protecting yourself doesn't require technical expertise. It starts with developing smart habits.

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, remember:

1. Stop before reacting.
2. Look for the red flags.
3. Verify before you trust.
   

Those three simple steps can go a long way toward protecting your personal information, your finances, and your peace of mind.