Internet Safety: Online Tricks Are No Treat

Halloween brings the annual opportunity to partake in trick-or-treating and spooky fun. Costumes, colorful candy, and the all-familiar site of pumpkins and goblins remind us that in October, a little scare can be a lot of fun.  

However, getting tricked in the online world is never a good thing. In this world, it’s called Phishing – when cyber criminals trick you into providing personal information like credit card number, or bank account, or even your email address and password.   

Phishing has been around for some time now, but as cyber criminals get more sophisticated, they are extending their tricks to new platforms like Social Network sites and smartphones. Once the bad guys have your information, they can attack your identity (e.g, through social security number), your bank account (e.g ,debit card numbers), your line of credit (credit card number), and more. So as you stock up on Halloween candy this fall, take a minute to also gather these Internet security tips….

1. Use Common Sense: companies should not ask you for information (like account number) if they already have an existing relationship with you. As a general rule, never send personally identifiable information via the Internet in response to an unsolicited request.
2. Don’t click so fast: if you receive an email requesting information - hover over the link and look at the associated URL – does it look like a legitimate URL? Or does it contain numbers or an unusual name that you don’t recognize?
3. Use Browser Protection: Get some good software that blocks phishing sites should you click on a bad link. Comcast customers can download Constant Guard ™ – which provides Anti Phishing protection in the Xfinity Toolbar - at no additional cost.
4. Be suspicious of friends: Just because you receive an update from a “friend” on a social networking site, doesn’t mean it’s legitimate. Your friend’s account could have been hacked, and their post could contain a malicious link. Use caution when responding to an unusual post from a friend.  
5. Protect your own account: If you are using social networking sites, takes steps to avoid getting hacked, and in turn, phishing your friends. Use a separate password for these sites, and turn on the setting to browse using a secure connection (https).  
6. Protect your mobile device: Phishers are increasingly attacking your smartphones and tablets. It’s harder to detect a fake site on a small screen than on your regular computer, making it easier for you to take the bait.   Also, the bad guys can create a fraudulent app, which, when downloaded, can steal your credentials. Fortunately, security software exists to help mitigate this problem – consider downloading protection for your mobile devices.

With some forethought, you can get more treats than tricks on the Internet this Halloween season! 

Gloucester County resident Jim Janco is Director of Security and Privacy for Comcast and a father of four children. Read more tips about online safety at xfinity.com/constantguard