Page 15 - 11Cyber

(Continued from page 14)

computer
• Use two-factor authentication wherever possible.
• Used strong passwords - keep track of them with a password manager
• Use a screen lock on portable devices
• Don’t conduct business or share critical information on public Wi-Fi
• Put a credit freeze on your accounts with credit bureaus. Equifax, Experian, Innovis, TransUnion
• Protect your social security number – only give it out when absolutely necessary
• Be aware of billing cycles – if financial information is late or doesn’t come, follow up
• Be cautious of participating in viral memes such as “name your most memorable concert.”
• Set strict privacy settings on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn

If you are a victim of identity theft, report it to the FTC online and create an account to create a report and
generate a recovery plan. You will gain access to recovery plan updates and prefilled form letters to send to
creditors. You should also report medical identity theft to Medicare’s fraud office and tax identity theft to the
IRS.

It should be clear that you want to avoid this, so a little awareness and preventative steps can help prevent
potentially serious problems.

It’s Called Clickbait,

and You Need to Learn to Avoid It

By Kurt Jefferson, Editor, Central Kentucky Computer Society

I was eating yogurt as I was reading stories about
one growing danger on the Web: Clickbait. What I
read made me pause and put down my spoon.
It turns out that plenty of us are clicking on email
links or Facebook postings sent to us from unknown
senders. Unfortunately, this can lead to malware
and trojan horses infecting your computer.
The practice is called clickbait. Someone you don’t
know sends you an email or a Facebook posting. It
contains a link. You click on it.
Catchy and provocative headlines are usually a
dead giveaway that you’re being targeted by click- • Funny images or video
bait.
Clickbait often contains these qualities: Examples of clickbait headlines include:
• Headlines that appeal to your strong
emotions, such as humor or outrage
87–Year–Old Trainer Shares
• Headlines designed to grab your atten- Secrets to Losing Weight
tion, leaving you wanting more infor-
mation
• Headlines that tell you nothing about the When You Read These Shocking
content of the article Food Facts, You’ll Never Want to Eat
Again
• The headline is too good to be true

• Content that encourages you to share
the item with someone else on Facebook
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Cyber Awareness Bulletin 15 October 2021