Security tips to stay safe on Valentine’s Day

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, and many users, especially men, will be tempted to do some quick shopping or profile checking.

Here are a few tips to stay safe when you are in a hurry to shop, chat or research:

1. If a price is too good to be true, most of the time, it is not true

Cybercriminals are using social engineering in order to attract people with very good offers for many products. The offer is very diversified because most of the products don’t exist in most cases. The fraudsters just take the money and disappear. If you want to have a good price, get a Savings Advisor tool which also guarantees that the sellers are reliable.

2. Buy only from known shops

You don’t have time (and money) to waste and most of the time it is better to shop from a known shop than to risk to not receive the product or to receive something else. Now that most social networks have ads, it is even harder to filter what is reliable and what not. If you are not finding the right product in the known shops, consider some search, but in this case make sure you use a web filter. Avira has Web Protection integrated in all paid products which protects you from phishing and malware URLs.

3. Don’t fall for fake profiles

If you are just looking to meet someone you don’t know, don’t fall for profiles which post pictures with sexy (or naked) women or men. They are just fake accounts which either distribute malware or just redirect you to special portals which require a registration and/or a fee to join.

4. When researching about somebody, make sure you are looking at the right person

Let’s say that you just met someone and want to know more about her/him. Of course, the best place to start is Facebook or her/his favorite social network. Be sure that you are looking at the right person. If you don’t and engage a communication with her/him without being sure that you are talking to the right person, you might be reported as a stalker. And if you don’t communicate, you might buy the wrong present. ;)

5. Don’t share too much

Don’t share something which you wouldn’t show your mother. This applies to text, statuses , check-ins and pictures. The Internet never forgets: everything you share will remain somewhere saved and will popup exactly when you expect less.

 

Sorin Mustaca

IT Security Expert

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© Copyright 2014 Sorin Mustaca, All rights Reserved. Written For: Sorin Mustaca on Cybersecurity


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