Tips on How to Protect Yourself Against Cybercrime 

The world has become vastly more connected in recent years, resulting in an exponential increase in how people spend their lives online. The issue is twofold: first, hackers are employing more advanced techniques and tools, and second, individuals are unaware when using the internet, allowing cybercrime to proliferate.

Digital technology has transformed the way we live and work in innumerable ways, but with these benefits comes tremendous risk. One of the most troubling stats that you can find on cybercrime is that it’s been increasing constantly. According to a recent study by McAfee, it is estimated that people lose around $3 billion every single year due to cybercrime. 

Obviously, no one wants to be a victim of cybercrime. But if you’re concerned about yourself or your loved ones, keep in mind these 5 easy tips: 

1) Never ever give out any personal information; 

As we mentioned, one of the biggest problems is that people are too trusting. You never know who’s on the other end of a chat window or email. Don’t reveal your name, address, phone number, etc. 

2) Always use a reputable and secure email account; 

You never know if the person claiming to be an account manager at your bank is actually real or not. That’s why it’s always better to use an email that doesn’t ask you for your personal information. For example, Gmail, Outlook, is good enough. 

3) Change your passwords often; 

It’s not enough to just change them; you must also do it often. For example, every time you go online or login to your Facebook account, change the password and use a different one on all the other websites that ask for information. 

4) Don’t click on the links in spam emails, especially if it’s asking for money; 

Yes, we know that spam is annoying and people get annoyed when they receive them. But many of them are actually malicious, and they’re even more dangerous if you click on them. There’s no easy way to detect them, but Google it up with “spam email”, and you’ll see what we mean. 

5) Use a reliable Anti-spyware Application; 

Always make sure that whatever software you download does not have malware built in. Antivirus and anti-spyware software can help keep your online life private and secure. This kind of software is often bundled together. There are also standalone versions that are designed to be used alongside each other for extra protection. You can find these types of programs in the security section of your operating system’s app store or on the developers’ website.