Protect Yourself From Obituary Pirates: Here’s How
Most of us know about porch pirates. But what about obituary pirates? The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is cautioning people about posting online death notices with personal information about the deceased. They said this could put that person and their relatives on the radar of scammers and opportunists.
How Obituary Pirates Work?
In a scam involving obituaries, scammers target people who are deceased or those feeling emotionally vulnerable after losing a loved one. As a result, these people are less likely to actively monitor their accounts for any suspicious activity.
Information regarding the deceased, often shared by family and friends online, can be easily accessed by criminals. This information may include personal details such as the deceased’s address and social security number, which can be purchased on the dark web. With this information, scammers can pull off fraudulent activities such as opening bank accounts, obtaining loans, acquiring health insurance, or filing false tax returns under the deceased person’s identity.
Additionally, when someone’s going through a tough time grieving, they can be easy targets for obituary pirates. They often pretend to be from government agencies, collection firms, or insurance companies. These scammers might also act like old friends, relatives, or exes popping out of the blue to chat. But really, it’s just another trick to get personal info for sketchy reasons. Some criminals may go even further and contact the funeral home to discreetly gather financial information about the deceased person or their family.
Some Advice
AARP suggests being on the lookout for red flags to avoid a loved one becoming the subject of a scam or becoming a victim of an obituary scam yourself. After your loved one passes, watch for surprise bills or credit card charges for stuff bought after they’re gone. Be cautious of calls from people posing as government officials, debt collectors, or insurance agents claiming outstanding taxes, bills, or unresolved matters left by the deceased. And don’t let anyone rush you into paying pronto with wire transfers, gift cards, or reloadable cash cards.
Top Mistakes That Can Get You Hacked
Reusing Passwords
Many of us are still using the same password across many different accounts. While it’s pretty common, it’s not a good habit to have. If you’re reusing passwords for multiple websites and accounts, a hacker could potentially use that password to log into those accounts. Nobody wants to have to remember a 16-digit password for every single one of their accounts, especially when getting locked out of a computer or platform at the most inconvenient time. But if a security breach were to happen, that’s one less problem to worry about. Like, remembering which accounts are at risk of a threat.
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Oversharing On Social Media
Personal data exposure is really a thing. When you share personal information on social media, you expose yourself to the risk of identity theft and fraud. According to the New York Institute of Technology, Cybercriminals can use the information you share, such as your full name, date of birth, and location, to impersonate you or launch targeted attacks. Most people know that sharing sensitive information such as your car information, address, work history, or phone numbers can make you vulnerable. But some people forget that this information can also be identified through pictures and innocent as sharing your new car photo or your child’s first day of school photo.
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Using Unsecure Wi-Fi
Hackers can use unsecured Wi-Fi connections to distribute malware. If you allow file-sharing across a network, the hacker can easily plant infected software on your computer. Free public Wi-Fi is available almost everywhere at places like restaurants, hotels, airports, bookstores, and even retail outlets. But public wi-fi comes with risks. “Hackers can also use an unsecured Wi-Fi connection to distribute malware. If you allow file-sharing across a network, the hacker can easily plant infected software on your computer,” said Kaspersky, a tech company. Some people highly recommended looking into a VPN to encrypt internet traffic and keep your data hidden.
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Clicking Suspicious Links
Clicking on a suspicious link or phishing link can sometimes set off a malware download that often contains malicious files. According to Aura, a credit monitoring platform, these links are capable of collecting information stored on your device. Hackers can steal credit card numbers, bank account numbers, usernames and passwords, and other personal information. If you’ve clicked on a phishing link, Cyber Tec Security suggest completely disconnecting from the internet.
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Out-Of-Date Software
The last thing many of us want to do is update our software. But there are many reasons why it’s important to do so. Software updates not only fix and improve problems with your software it also helps you avoid hackers. According to the University of Idaho, software updates often include patches that fix vulnerabilities or bugs that hackers can exploit to access your system or data. “By installing the latest updates, you can reduce the risk of cyberattacks and protect your personal and business information,” they said.
Ralf Hahn/ Getty ImagesNot Using Multi-Factor Authentication
One of the most effective things you can do to protect your online accounts is turning on multi-factor, or two-factor, authentication for as many of your accounts as possible. This method often uses a piece of information such as a code generated by an app or sent to your phone alongside a password. Two-factor authentication adds an additional layer of security to the authentication process. According to Tech Target, using multi-factor authentication makes it harder for attackers to gain access to a person’s devices or online accounts. Most companies have this in place for their employers but it’s something you can use for personal emails too.
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