The month of March is acknowledged as Fraud Prevention month, aiming to educate individuals so they can recognize and prevent cyber attacks. With online fraud becoming increasingly common, we understand how important it is to learn about the different types of online fraud, be aware of how they target people, and stay cautious. 

Cyber attacks can be shown in a variety of different ways and are usually motivated by money or sensitive information. Cyber attacks are typically targeted at people perceived as vulnerable who would likely be uneducated about cyber security. This makes older adults a typical target for scammers. With this, we encourage you to read these cyber safety tips and stay educated on how you can protect yourself and your information. 

Types of fraud and how you can stay protected 

Staying educated and aware of cyber attacks is the most effective way to keep your information protected. There are many ways a cyber attack can happen and identifying these attacks is the first step to staying safe against fraud. By getting in the habit of being cautious when online, we can reduce the number of cyber attacks and stay safe together. 

1.Phishing  

Phishing is when the attacker poses as someone or uses a deceptive website to gain information. They will often lure their target to a link that contains computer viruses.  

You can identify these attacks by checking the following: 

• The email address or website URL can be a big give away when analysing a suspected phishing attack. Often the name of the email sender or website name will appear as a trusted source, but if you look closer, you will see it is deceptive. 

• Often attackers will use a sense of urgency to alter the targets decision making skills. They use threatening language and deadlines to make it seem urgent. Take your time and analyze the situation to make a safe decision on how to proceed. 

• Many phishing attacks include poor grammar, spelling errors, and awkward phrases. A legitimate source would likely have better communication and would not include errors. 

2. Account Hacking 

Account hacking happens when a cyber attacker breaks into online accounts such as, email, banking, or social media by stealing or guessing your password. Once inside, they can lock you out, impersonate you, and access sensitive information.  

You can prevent this type of attack by: 

• Using multifactor verification. This is an easy and effective way to protect yourself from attacks like this. Multi-factor verification apps provide a second source of verification before entering your account. So, even if a hacker knows your password, they will not be able to enter your account without providing the code generated by the app. 

• Using strong and hard to guess passwords makes it difficult for hackers to get into your account. Avoid using any names, birthdays, pet names, or any information that can be easily found about you or easily guessed.  

• For different accounts or sites make sure to use a variety of passwords. By using the same password for separate accounts, you are put at risk for multiple accounts being hacked.  

At Parkland, we are committed to creating a safe environment for our residents. We know that online threats can feel overwhelming, especially as these situations become more common. That’s why our team is here for support. We prioritize keeping residents sharp and informed to minimize risk, while offering guidance to those suspicious or victimised by online threats. 

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