Staying Safe Online: The Basics

Nowadays, most of us spend a whole lot of our time online. This is part and parcel of modern-day life. We message loved ones through online messaging platforms, we keep up to date with one another’s lives on social media, we read the news on sites instead of from newspapers, we shop online, we work online, we look for entertainment online. The list goes on. But with so many people spending so much time online, there are also people who are going to try to take advantage of this to benefit themselves.

Unfortunately, cybercriminals are rife. Cybercriminals are individuals who look to scam people online, whether that’s stealing their personal information, their identity, their money or anything else. The internet is also a platform that contains a lot of information or images that you simply don’t want to see.

You’re going to have to be vigilant to ensure that you don’t fall into traps or expose yourself to traumatising images and videos. So, what can you do to stay safe when you sit on your laptop, tablet or smartphone? Here are some tips that will help you.

Be Aware Of Phishing Emails

We all receive phishing emails on a regular basis. Luckily, most of the time, our computer’s spam filters will pick up on them and shift them into your junk folder before you even see them. But occasionally, some will slip through, so it’s important that you are aware of them and can spot them rather than falling for them.

Put simply, phishing emails are emails that are sent with the intention of getting you to click a link, download a file or provide information that will have a negative consequence. You may receive an email saying that you have won a large amount of money and just have to provide a few details or click a link to claim your prize. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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You may receive an email saying you missed a parcel and need to pay a small sum for it to be redelivered. You may receive COVID email scams. There are countless scams out there. Make sure to be wary of emails you receive from people you do not know – especially if they’re offering something that sounds unrealistic.

Keep Your Personal Details Safe

Make sure that you don’t share your personal details online. Sure, if it’s an approved payment portal on a reliable and genuine online store, this is fine. But you shouldn’t share your details with strangers and you should be wary of what’s visible in any pictures you upload to social media platforms.

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A lot of people have accidentally uploaded pictures including their bank card, only to find people then take the details from the card to make fraudulent online purchases from their account.

Use Internet Filters

You can block certain content or sites from your device through internet filters. This can prevent you from being exposed to content you do not want to see. Talk to your provider for information on how to implement these.

These are just a few steps you can try out, but each will really help to protect you when you spend time online!