This Data Privacy Day, round out your privacy protection toolbox with McAfee’s help so you can live your best online life safely.  

Connect All Your Devices to a VPN 

An easy way to instantly boost the privacy of your every online move is to always connect to a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN scrambles your connected device’s internet session, meaning that it’s impossible for a cybercriminal to eavesdrop on your online comings and goings. VPNs are especially crucial for when you connect to public Wi-Fi networks or networks for which you cannot vouch for their security. Cybercriminals often lurk on public Wi-Fi networks at hotels, coffee shops, and libraries and pounce on users who connect their devices without the protection of a VPN. 

Digital privacy not only implies remaining hidden from nefarious eyes, but also from the prying eyes of pesky advertisers. A VPN can assist with that too! When you have a VPN enabled, it confuses advertisers and targeted ads. The less information they have, the more privately you can surf online. 

Know Where You Stand 

To improve your online privacy, it’s important to first know how safe you currently are. When you can identify your weakest digital privacy habits, you can make targeted improvements to them. Luckily, McAfee Protection Score can help you do just that! Protection Score is a helpful privacy tool that rates your current digital safety. Then, based on your score, the tool offers suggestions on how to boost your score. 

For instance, Protection Score searches for your personally identifiable information (PII) on the dark web. If it finds a copy of your government ID or your financial records on a dubious site, your score will tank. While it may be alarming to have a low Protection Score, you can feel good that you’re making positive waves, hopefully before a cybercriminal takes advantage of your PII and uses it to steal your identity.  

There are several easy ways to boost your score that require very little effort but have a huge payoff. Connecting to a VPN and running an antivirus scan on your device are just two things you can do and each only takes a few seconds. Changing your habits and turning your online safety around doesn’t have to be overwhelming! In some cases, there are services that’ll even do the work for you, like the service we’ll talk about next. 

Clean Up After Your Bad Digital Habits 

To round out your privacy protection toolbox, consider signing up for McAfee Personal Data Cleanup. This service is a great companion to Protection Score. While Protection Score identifies all the areas where you can improve your security, Personal Data Cleanup is a service that will remove your information from the web’s riskiest sites.  

Did you know that, on average, a person has their PII for sale on 31 sites? Plus, 95% of people haven’t even given their permission and have their personal information for sale on data brokerage sites. Data brokerage sites are legal and anyone can buy your information. Online advertisers are the usual clients, but a cybercriminal can jump in and buy valuable PII, as well. 

Deck Out Your Protection Toolbox With McAfee+ Ultimate 

You should care about data privacy every day not just when the calendar reminds you on Data Privacy Day. Take the steps and invest in the right solutions to shore up your online defenses. McAfee+ Ultimate is an all-in-one service that includes unlimited VPN, Protection Score, a full-service Personal Data Cleanup, and 13 other high-quality identity, privacy, and device security tools.  

Live your online life more confidently with McAfee, knowing that cybercriminals are less likely to slip by and damage your credit, identity, or online reputation. 

Introducing McAfee+

Identity theft protection and privacy for your digital life

Download McAfee+ Now

The post 3 Tools to Round Out Your Privacy Protection Toolbox appeared first on Online Pitstop.

Editor’s Note: We often speak of online scams in our blogs, ones that cost victims hundreds if not thousands of dollars. This account puts a face on one of those scams—along with the personal, financial, and emotional pain that they can leave in their wake. This is the story of “Meredith,” whose aunt “Emily” fell victim to an emerging form on online elder fraud. Our thanks to James for bringing it forward and to “Meredith’s” family for sharing it, all so others can prevent such scams from happening to them. 

“Embarrassing. Simply embarrassing.” She shook her head. “It’s too raw. I can’t talk about it right now. I need time.”   

Her aunt had been scammed. To the tune of $100,000 dollars. My colleague—we both work in the security industry—felt a peculiar sense of loss. 

“I work in this industry. I thought I’d done everything right. I’ve passed on enough warnings to my family and friends to ensure they’d avoid the fate of the scammed.  Simply because I’m in this industry does not imply my circle is always aware of all the threats to them, even if I do my best to teach them.” 

“My mental state, recently, borders on shame; this feeling, you know? How could someone working in my industry have something like this happen to a family member?”  

I told her many people working in other industries cannot control what happens to people in their families even if people in that industry had knowledge that could have helped them or otherwise avoided a problem altogether. 

“I know, but this simply should never have happened! My aunt is one of the smartest, most conscientious people I know, and she fell for this. It’s crazy and I can’t wrap my head around it.” 

My colleague, let’s call her Meredith (not her real name as she’s a bit ashamed to know this happened to a family member), told me the beginnings. 

Let’s call her aunt Leslie. 

Her story unfolds, the overall picture a pastiche of millions of people in the United States today. Her aunt is retired, bored, lonely, and isolated. She feels adrift without something to occupy her time; she was looking for companionship, connections, someone (anyone) to talk to. Her feelings intensified during the pandemic. She morphed into perfect prey for scammers of what is now known as the “Pig Butchering Scam.” 

The term “Pig Butchering” has a visceral and raw feel to it, which falls right in line with how brutal this scam can be. It’s a long con game, where the scammer befriends the victim and encourages them to make small investments through the scammer, which get bigger and bigger over time. The scammer builds trust early with what appear to be small investment wins. None of it is legit. The money goes right into the scammer’s pocket, even as the scammer shows the victim phony financial statements and dashboards to show off the bogus returns. Confidence grows. The scammer wrings even larger sums out of the victim. And then disappears.  

It was a targeted attack that started innocuously enough with a “fake wrong number”. An SMS arrives. A text conversation starts. The scammer then apologizes but tells Leslie someone gave them the number to initiate the text. 

The scammer then uses emotional and psychological techniques to keep Leslie hooked.  “How are you, are you having a nice day?” Leslie, being bored and interested, engages willingly.     

The scammer asks to talk directly, not via text: and a phone conversation ensues.  The scammer proceeds to describe—in very soothing detail—what they are doing, helping people, like Leslie, invest their “hard-earned money” into something that will make them more money, to help them out in retirement. 

Of course, it is too good to be true.  

“The craziest part of all of this is my aunt refuses—to this day—to believe she’s been scammed!” 

She still thinks this scammer is a “friend” even though the entire family is up in arms over this, all of whom beg her aunt to “open her eyes.” 

“My aunt still thinks she’d going to see that money again, or even make some money, which is crazy. The scammers are so good at emotional intelligence; really leveraging heartstrings and psychological makeup of the forlorn in society. My aunt finally agreed to stop sending more money to the scammers, but only after the entire family threatened to cut her off from the rest of the family. It took a lot to get her to stop trusting the scammers.” 

Meredith feels this is doubly sad as the aunt in question is not someone they’d ever imagine would in this predicament. She was always the upright one, always the diligent and hardworking and the best with money. She is smart and savvy and we could never imagine her to be taken by these people and taken so easily. It boggles the mind.” 

She did start to change in the last few years. And the pandemic created a weird situation. Retirement, loneliness from loss of a partner, and the added burden of the pandemic created a perfect storm for her to open herself up to someone willingly, simply for the sake of connection. 

“No one deserves this. It has rocked my family to the core. It is not only about the money, but we’ve found family bonds stretched. She believes these random people, these scammers, more than she believes her own family. Have we been neglectful of our aunt? Does she no longer put her faith in people she knows, rather gives money to complete strangers?” 

Being a security professional does not provide magical protection. We are more aware of scams and scammers, and how they work, and what to look for, and we try to do all we can to keep our family aware of scams out there in the big wide world, but we are human. We fall short. 

Diligence is action. Awareness is action. Education is action. 

We need to be better, all of us, at socializing risky things. We need to consistently educate our family and friends to protect themselves, not only via security software (which everyone should have as default) but by providing tips and tricks and warnings for things we all need to be on the lookout. This is not a one-time thing. The cliché holds true: “If you see something say something.” Repetition helps.  

In today’s world, the need for protecting people’s security, identity, and privacy is critical to keeping them safe. Scammers long stopped focusing on attacking only your computer. Now focus more than ever on YOU: your identity, your privacy, your trust. If they get you there, they soon get your money. 

As for contributing factors to scammers success with their victims, such as loneliness, isolation, and boredom, they all have remedies.  Make connections with your loved ones, especially those easily tagged as vulnerable, those you feel might be at risk. Reach out. It may be hard sometimes due to distance and other factors but make it a point to connect. There is a reason these scammers are succeeding. They are stepping into roles of companions to people who are desperate for connection.   

Most people are greatly saddened at seeing other people being “taken.” Let’s work together to help stop the scammers. 

Look out for each other, and get your people protected! 

Editor’s Closing Note:  

If you or someone you know suspects elder fraud, the following resources can help: 

For further reading on scams and scam prevention, check out the guides in our McAfee Safety Series, which provide in-depth advice on protecting your identity and privacy—and your family from scams. They’re ready to download and share. 

Introducing McAfee+ Ultimate

Identity theft protection and privacy for your digital life

Download McAfee+ Ultimate Now

The post A Scam in the Family—How a Close Relative Lost $100,000 to an Elder Scam appeared first on Online Pitstop.

Online protection software. Antivirus. The two words get used interchangeably often enough. But sure enough, they’re different. And yet directly related when you take a closer look. 

The term “antivirus” has been with us for decades now, dating back to the first software that was designed to prevent computers from getting malware—malicious code, like viruses, that would lock up computers, scramble data, or otherwise damage computers and the data on them. Prime examples of these early types of malware include 1999’s “Melissa” virus spreads by infected email attachments and the even more devastating “ILOVEYOU” virus that incurred billions in damages worldwide. 

There’s a good reason why people default to the word “antivirus” so easily. Viruses have been on our collective minds for some time. And computer purchases have often been accompanied with the question, “Do you have antivirus for your computer?” By and large, the notion of antivirus has become pretty much engrained. 

Yet look ahead to today and you can see how dramatically things have changed since those early days. We still need antivirus, that’s for sure. But it takes far more than that to live life safely online right now. And that’s where online protection software comes in. 

What is online protection software? 

Online protection software protects you. It includes antivirus, yet it further protects your identity and privacy in addition to your devices.  

The way we use our computers, tablets, and phones nowadays shows the reason why we need such broad protection. We conduct so much of our lives online. We bank, we shop, we plan our finance online. We also run portions of our homes with smart devices and smart speakers. Increasingly, we track our health and wellness with connected devices too—like workouts on our phone and biometrics with consumer-grade and even medical-grade devices.  

All of this creates data. Data about who we are, what we’re doing, when we’re doing it, how often, and where. That’s precious information. Private information. Personal information. And understandably, that needs to be protected.  

Put simply, today’s threats have evolved. While viruses and malware remain a problem, today’s bad actors are out for bigger game. Like stealing personal and financial info for identity theft. Moreover, organizations large and small collect data from your devices and the things you do on them, personal data that many share and sell for profit. Some of this data collection gets quite exacting, compiled from a broad range of public sources that can include records like bankruptcies, real estate sales, and birth records—plus private sources that can further include your shopping habits, the people you chat with, and what your daily travels look like based on location information captured from your smartphone.  

If you find yourself surprised by this, you’re not alone. Tremendous volumes of data collection activity occur without people’s knowledge or consent. 

Now as to why anyone would want any of that kind of data about you, consider the multi-billion-dollar industry of online data brokers. They compile thousands of data points from millions of people and put these vats of data up for sale to anyone who’ll buy them. That could be advertisers, potential employers, private investigators, and background checkers. And it could be bad actors as well who could use your own data to spam, harass, impersonate, or otherwise harm you. 

Today’s online protection software protects you from today’s threats 

Once, so many of these intrusions on our privacy and identity were difficult to spot, let alone prevent. For example, your personal info gets caught up in a data breach and winds up posted for sale on the dark web. How are you to know that before it’s too late and thief racks up umpteen charges on your debit card? Also, with dozens and dozens of data brokers out there, how do you track down which ones have information posted about you and then request to have it taken down? And what if online identity theft happens to you and you’re faced with the time and dollar costs it involves to set things right? 

So just as online threats have evolved, so has online protection software. We go about so much of our day online, and online protection like our own McAfee+ helps you do it more privately and more safely. It’s quite comprehensive, and the various plans for McAfee+ include: 

• Personal Data Cleanup reveals which high-risk data brokers and people search sites are collecting and selling your personal information and requests the removal of the information, confirms completion, and conducts ongoing scans as data is always being collected.     
• Unlimited Secure VPN that automatically connects to public Wi-Fi to protect online privacy and safeguard personal data while online banking, shopping, or browsing.     
• $1M Identity Theft and Stolen Funds Coverage to reimburse lost funds or expenses in restoring the customer’s identity, including losses to 401(k) accounts.    
• Ransomware Coverage to reimburse up to $25,000 for losses and ransom fees.    
• Licensed Restoration Experts who can take necessary actions to repair identity and credit issues, including assistance to assist with identity fraud of a deceased family member.     
• Credit Monitoring and Alerts keeps an eye on changes to your credit score, report, and accounts with timely notifications and guidance so you can take action to tackle identity theft.  
• Credit Score and Report to help you stay on top of daily changes to your credit score and report, from a single location.    
• Credit Lock reduces the chance of becoming a victim of identity theft by allowing you to quickly lock and unlock your credit, which can help prevent unauthorized opening of accounts.     
• Security Freeze prevents unauthorized access to existing accounts or new ones being set up in your name with a credit, bank, or utility freeze.    
• Identity Monitoring for up to 60 unique pieces of personal information on the dark web with timely alerts up to 10 months sooner than competitive products.    

For certain, protections like these remain a primary focus of ours, because they protect you. And that’s who thieves and bad actors are really after—you, your information, your accounts, and even your identity. Expect us to continue to roll out more protections that look after you in this way and more. 

Antivirus, a part of your comprehensive online protection plan 

So, while antivirus and online protection software are different, they work together. Antivirus provides strong device security, which complements the additional privacy and identity features included with online protection. That reflects how times have changed. Once it was enough to protect our devices from viruses and malware. Now we have to protect ourselves as well. Antivirus alone won’t do it, but antivirus as part of online protection will. 

Introducing McAfee+

Identity theft protection and privacy for your digital life

Download McAfee+ Now

The post The Big Difference Between Online Protection Software and Antivirus appeared first on Online Pitstop.

In isolation, these small digital transgressions don’t seem like a problem; however, cybercriminals can gather the bits and pieces of information you release into the world and Frankenstein them together to create believable impersonations or entirely new identities. 

To protect your identity, here are a few ways to limit the amount of personally identifiable information (PII) you share online, plus a few tools that can help you identify and close your current security holes. 

Bad Online Habits That Put Your PII at Risk 

Most digital bad habits seem insignificant; however, the more bad habits you have that pile-up, the more at risk your PII and your identity can be. Check out this list of three common habits that you should consider breaking today and why. 

1. Volunteering too much information.

When you sign up for new online shopping accounts, some companies ask for your birthday, your age, your middle name, and primary and secondary phone numbers and email addresses. While it might be nice to receive a special coupon on your birthday, you may want to reconsider volunteering unnecessary private details. To compromise you can sign up with a nickname and leave your birth year blank. That way, if a cybergang ever breaches the company, the criminals won’t get far with your personal details. To steal an identity and ruin someone’s credit, sometimes all it takes it a full name, birthday, and phone number. 

2. Oversharing on social media.

Do you post your every thought and movement on social media? While curating the perfect online profile can be fun, it can also be dangerous to your online safety. For instance, posting “get to know you” quizzes are a gold mine for social engineers and cyber criminals, as the results often reveal potential password inspiration, security question answers, and your likes and dislikes. From here, criminals can take educated guesses at your passwords or tailor a social engineering scheme that’s most likely to fool you. Consider setting your social media profiles to private and blocking followers you don’t know personally. Or, just keep parts of your life a mystery to the wider world. 

3. Reusing passwords.

We can all agree that increasingly strict password requirements are leading to longer and more complex passwords that are confusing to cyber criminals and to the rightful account holders, too! It’s tempting to reuse passwords to reduce the burden on your memory, but this puts your valuable PII in danger. Password and username combinations are often information that’s leaked in company breaches. In what’s called a brute force attack, a cybercriminal can plug that same pairing into hundreds of websites and wait for a hit. Since unique passwords for all your dozens of accounts is imperative, entrust their safekeeping to a password manager.  

Grade Your Online Safety With McAfee Protection Score 

If you’re feeling uneasy about your online habits and the effect they may have had on your online safety, McAfee Protection Score gives you the information you need to take charge and make changes. Protection Score not only tells you how safe (or unsafe) you are, but the tool also offers suggestions on how you can raise your score, and thus be safer online. The service monitors data breaches and indicates when your email was part of a leak. Protection Score also dives into the dark web so you don’t have to. If your government ID or financial information appears, your score will take a large hit. 

Protection Score not only tells you how safe (or unsafe) you are, but the tool also offers suggestions on how you can raise your score, and thus be safer online. The sooner you know your weak points, the quicker and more completely you can fortify your defenses and clean up after months (or years) of bad habits. Knowledge is power in the right against cyber criminals, so Protection Score is an excellent partner to help adopt smarter habits on the path to better online security. 

Get the Whole Package With McAfee+ Ultimate 

With McAfee+ Ultimate, you not only get a Protection Score but a host of other top-rate tools to protect your identity, retain your online privacy, and help you recover from an identity theft. Running an antivirus, connecting to a VPN and installing web protection on your browser are all ways to increase your Protection Score, and these features are available with McAfee’s most thorough privacy, identity, and device protection service. 

Make 2023 the year of living online confidently and safely! 

Introducing McAfee+

Identity theft protection and privacy for your digital life

Download McAfee+ Now

The post New Year, New You: Start Fresh With McAfee Protection Score appeared first on Online Pitstop.

As technology weaves itself into our lives in new and unexpected ways, some of it will get quite personal and close to home. That made itself clear at CES this year, which makes a strong case for your security. 

The more things we connect, the more data we create. Data about ourselves that companies and others collect, share, and sell—where we are and what we’re doing, along with what we buy, watch, and search for. And today, we’re creating more of it and in more exacting detail.  

We connect our homes with smart devices that create data about our comings and goings, and we connect ourselves with smart glasses and watches, rings, and things that track our health, our sleep, and wellness overall. Meanwhile, we have virtual reality and augmented reality hardware companies that want a place on your face with headsets and experiences that will take you into the metaverse. 

Walking the floor of this year’s CES, you’ll see all these things, and plenty more. Yet central to it all is one thing—you. Specifically, your privacy and identity.  

As technology evolves so rapidly and brings new ways of experiencing our world, it’s an exciting time. It’s also a somewhat uncertain time. What data will these devices create? Who’ll collect it? What will they do with it? And importantly, what can you do to protect yourself? Questions about your security are very much on our minds, and they’re on yours too. You’ve told us as much.  

• 80% of you are concerned that a company could sell their data to another company.   
• 81% of you are concerned that your identity could be stolen from an online transaction. 

And unsurprisingly, protection is very much on your mind as well.                                

• 85% of you want to protect your identity online. 
• 84% of you want to take back control of your data online. 

And that’s where we come in. Just as the floor of CES showcases the evolution of life online, we’re evolving online protection as well. McAfee+ represents that next step—a product line that gives you a full slate of online protection that covers your privacy, identity, and devices so you can enjoy life online with confidence. 

At the center of that online life is you, and our definition of online protection has become quite expansive as a result. We see how it can help you monitor your credit, your identity, and where your personal information crops up online. We see how it can prevent the wrong people from getting their hands on data and info too. And we see how our industry-first Protection Score can show you how safe you are—and offer guidance that can make you safer still. In all, we see it as an online companion, one that removes uncertainty and gives you a feeling of security. Because you truly are secure. 

In all, protection today demands this comprehensive approach because we go about so much of our day online. McAfee+ reflects that reality. And with that, the various plans for McAfee+ include: 

• Personal Data Cleanup reveals which high-risk data brokers and people search sites are collecting and selling your personal information and requests the removal of the information, confirms completion, and conducts ongoing scans as data is always being collected.    
• Unlimited Secure VPN that automatically connects to public Wi-Fi to protect online privacy and safeguard personal data while online banking, shopping, or browsing.    
• $1M Identity Theft and Stolen Funds Coverage to reimburse lost funds or expenses in restoring the customer’s identity, including losses to 401(k) accounts.   
• Ransomware Coverage to reimburse up to $25,000 for losses and ransom fees.    
• Licensed Restoration Experts who can take necessary actions to repair identity and credit issues, including assistance to assist with identity fraud of a deceased family member.    
• Credit Monitoring and Alerts keeps an eye on changes to your credit score, report, and accounts with timely notifications and guidance so you can take action to tackle identity theft. 
• Credit Score and Report to help you stay on top of daily changes to your credit score and report, from a single location.   
• Credit Lock reduces the chance of becoming a victim of identity theft by allowing you to quickly lock and unlock your credit, which can help prevent unauthorized opening of accounts.    
• Security Freeze prevents unauthorized access to existing accounts or new ones being set up in your name with a credit, bank, or utility freeze.   
• Identity Monitoring for up to 60 unique pieces of personal information on the dark web with timely alerts up to 10 months sooner than competitive products.    

And that list will only continue to grow. As the year takes shape, we’ll roll out yet more protections that will give you even more control of your privacy and identity. Particularly as you and your household rely on life online more and more. 

As is true any year at CES, we see all manner of potential. New ways to make the day easier, more enjoyable, and more productive thanks to life online. Yet amidst it all, we see you. We see how you’ll use these new technologies, what the privacy, identity, and security implications are, and how we can protect you so you can benefit from these advances in technology, safely.  

Like you, we’re excited for what’s next, and we’ll see to it that you can enjoy it—with protection that looks after you, your household, and your family.  

The post The Case for Your Security at CES 2023 appeared first on Online Pitstop.

If there’s a particularly clear picture that’s developed over the past couple of years, it’s that our privacy and our personal identities are worth looking out for. With that, we have your back. And here’s why.  

In the U.S., reported cases of identity theft continue to rise. In the first half of 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported more than 600,000 cases of identity theft, with more than 230,000 of those reported cases involving credit card theft. 

And that’s just what’s been reported in the U.S. Far more crime goes unreported, and it is estimated that the cost of identity theft and fraud goes well into the billions of dollars. 

Yet behind each stat is a person, a family, and a household that dealt with anything from a financial headache to a major life event no thanks to identity theft and fraud. Accordingly, we’re seeing to it that every person has the tools to prevent this from happening to them. 

Here’s a little bit about our approach. We looked at some of the key areas where people’s private information can be vulnerable and rolled out a set of features and services that can help make you safer than before. They’re all part of McAfee+, our latest line of comprehensive online protection. Depending on your plan and location, the following offer protections that can look after you, your privacy, and your identity—along with your devices and the things on them too. 

Connect safely with a VPN 

Unsecured networks can leave us vulnerable, like when we use public Wi-Fi. What’s at issue is that a cybercriminal can potentially capture your login credentials and other personal information as you use a public network in a hotel, airport, coffee shop, library, and so forth. 

So, we made sure to include a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to keep your information protected from prying eyes. It does this easily by detecting when you’re on a public network and automatically turning on your VPN. The VPN then scrambles or encrypts, your data as it flows over the network. Unlike some VPNs that require advanced settings to shield your data, our app offers seamless security. 

Dark web monitoring 

Given that data breaches large and small continue to occur with more regularity than any of us would like, always-on monitoring of your private information is key. 

Whether one of your personal accounts is hacked–or worse–another website somehow gets ahold of your data and subsequently gets breached, your data may end up on the dark web. This is where cybercriminals buy and sell information. 

To detect these dangerous leaks, we included dark web monitoring, which alerts you if your log-in credentials have been exposed. It can even provide you with a link to the site that uses those credentials when the information is available. This allows you to swiftly reset your passwords, mitigating the risk. 

Personal data cleanup 

We’ll scan some of the riskiest data broker sites and show you which ones are selling your personal info. We’ll also provide guidance on how you can remove your data from those sites and with select products, we can even manage the removal for you. ​ 

Identity theft insurance and recovery support 

Recovering from identity fraud or theft can be expensive. Not to mention time consuming. We’ll help relieve the burden with $1M coverage for lawyer fees, travel expenses, lost wages, and more.  

Should the unfortunate happen to you, we have your back. In several ways. We offer licensed recovery experts who can work with you any time, around the clock, all year long. These pros can use a limited power of attorney to do the heavy lifting for identity recovery, taking all necessary steps to repair identity and credit.  

Ransomware coverage 

Our all-new ransomware coverage is now available, ready to help just in case—all backed by expert advice to help you find the quickest and best possible path to recovery. In addition to eligibility for up to $25,000 in reimbursement due to ransomware losses, our team of experts can help you, determine the severity of a ransomware attack and learn what immediate action steps you can take.  

Protection score 

Knowing your safe and staying that way just got far simpler. With a colorful view, you can see exactly what your Protection Score is at a glance, which compiles your overall levels of security, privacy, and identity theft protection. Better yet, if it spots gaps in your protection, it guides you through straightforward fixes that can make you safer than before. 

It’s an industry first, and something we all deserve—the ability to clearly see exactly how secure you are and to quickly shore up your protection whenever it’s needed. 

Credit monitoring 

Everyone has credit, and everyone needs to protect it. McAfee’s Credit Monitoring does just that. Whether the suspicious change in your report is big or small, we can help you detect it—and take the right steps to correct it. 

Credit freeze 

You can put proactive protection in place by stopping unauthorized access to existing credit card, bank, and utility accounts or from new ones being opened in your name. Security freezes stop companies from looking at your credit profile, which halts the application process for loans, credit cards, utilities, new bank accounts, and more. A security freeze won’t affect your credit score. ​ 

Ease of use 

Also on our list, we wanted to make personal protection easy to use and available across all your compatible devices. So, whether you’re out with just your phone, or at home working at your PC, you have access to your protection, and can even pick up where you left off on a different device. 

It’s about enjoying the internet 

Ultimately, that’s what any of us want—to enjoy the internet with confidence, knowing that whatever it is we’re doing online is secure. 

The way we use the internet continues to evolve. After all, it wasn’t long ago that the idea of using a phone to see who’s at the front door may have seemed a bit odd. Let alone having a little chat with the speaker on your kitchen counter. Yet that’s where we are today. And as the internet evolves, so will we. The protection we offer will cover your increasingly connected life in whatever shape that takes. 

No question about it. We’re committed to protecting you, your privacy, your identity, and certainly your devices too—and making all of it simple. 

Here’s to a happy and secure year! 

The post Protecting Your Privacy This Year appeared first on Online Pitstop.

The official 40th birthday of the internet serves as a timely reminder that while it is a fantastic place, we must practice good digital hygiene to safeguard our privacy and identity so we can protect ourselves from the latest threats.  

Since its widely recognized creation on January 1st 1983, the internet has since transformed economies and the everyday lives of people. From social media, memes, and viral videos to smart homes, online shopping and even cloud computing, the internet entertains, educates, and connects us. Above all, it will continue to play a crucial role in human civilization for many generations to come. 

Yet with the good comes the not-so-good. Wherever people gather, cyberthieves gather too. The internet is no exception. As the evolution of the internet continues, cybercriminals are evolving in tandem, looking for new and inventive ways, such as using Artificial Intelligence to exploit its features. With over five billion people accessing and using the Internet in 2022, that’s over 60% of the world’s population potentially at risk.  

So, while we celebrate the internet’s 40th birthday, it’s also a good reminder to take stock of the latest online threats and ensure our digital hygiene is up to scratch for the year ahead. When we do this, we can take full advantage of the incredible opportunities the internet affords us.  

The new year is a great moment to reflect, reset, and consider your personal online safety and protection. Stay vigilant against the latest threats and scams and use dedicated and robust online protection software such as our newly released McAfee+ plans—which comes with important features like identity monitoring that can spot your personal info on the dark web and personal data cleanup that can help remove your personal info from data broker sites that will sell it to companies and crooks alike.  

It’s also a time to keep a fresh eye out for scams and phishing attacks. If that email, text, or message you received looks too good to be true, or you feel that the sender is trying to pressure you into doing sharing info or sending money, it’s always best to double check that the source is legitimate. These are often indicators that a scam is afoot. 

Four easy things you can do today to improve your safety online 

Beyond using online protection software and keeping your guard up, you can take several other steps that can make you immediately safer than you were before. Here are four strong suggestions that will get you started: 

1) Use Multifactor Authentication (MFA) 

MFA is an excellent way to frustrate cybercriminals attempting to break into online accounts. MFA means that users need more than a username and password to log in, for example, a one-time code sent to private email, text, or through an authentication app utilizing face or fingerprint scans. This adds an extra layer of security as the cybercriminal has to access the device, email, or biometric reader to get into someone’s online account. 

2) Set strong passwords and consider a password manager 

Strong, unique passwords for each of your online accounts are a must. It’s always important for people to understand that reusing passwords is just as risky as using “password123” and puts online accounts at risk. A tactic known as “credential stuffing” is where a cybercriminal attempts to input stolen usernames and password combinations in dozens of random websites to see which door it opens. It is also important to consider using password managers which can create and safeguard all passwords in one secure desktop extension or mobile phone app. 

3) Update your apps, operating systems, and devices 

Updating software is vital to the security of a device. These updates include security patches that cyber experts have created to foil cybercriminals. The more outdated the software is, the more time criminals have had to work out ways to infiltrate and steal information within them. Moreover, updates often include new and improved features, which makes a strong case for keeping things current. 

4) Recognise and report phishing 

Phishing is when a scammer sends texts or emails that appear to be from trusted sources like your favourite online clothing store, employer or, as we’re seeing during the cost-of-living crisis, energy firms, or banks. They do this to encourage people to share personal information.  

Once a phishing attempt has been recognised it is vital that they are not engaged with, links are left unopened, and the potential scam email is not forwarded along to another person. Before the message is deleted, it is vital that the sender is blocked and that the message is marked as junk and reported.  

If you think that you have entered your credit card details onto a phishing website, contact your bank or credit card issuing company immediately. Report your personal information as stolen, and you may want to request that your existing card be canceled depending on the circumstances. 

Staying safer still in 2023—and then some 

Online protection is part mindset, part prevention, and part action. While the steps above mark a start, they’re just that. There’s plenty more you can do, and when taken in batches, the steps you take can really add up to an exceptional level of protection. The question is, where to start? 

Our McAfee Safety Series can get you moving in the right direction. It’s a set of guides that cover a range of important security topics and that show you several straightforward things you can do that will make you safer. They range from phishing and privacy to online shopping and safer online media. In all, they can help you spot scams, hacks, and attacks—and potentially prevent them in the first place.  

I encourage you to grab the first one that looks interesting to you. What you learn can put you several steps ahead of the hackers, scammers, and thieves out there.  

Introducing McAfee+

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The post 40 Years of the Internet – Tips for Staying Safe Online in 2023 appeared first on Online Pitstop.

Maybe it’s happened to you. Maybe it’s happened to a friend or family member. There’s a call from the bank, a notification in your financial app, or a charge on the statement that’s beyond explanation. Someone else has tapped into your funds. Or worse yet, someone stole your identity and took out a loan in your name. You find out only after it’s happened. 

That’s the trick with credit theft and fraud. People typically discover it after the damage is done. Then they’re left picking up the pieces, which can cost both time and money. Not to mention a potential knock to their credit score. 

However, you can help keep it from happening to you. Our recently published Credit Protection Security Guide breaks down several ways. Here we’ll get into a quick introduction on the topic and show how you can prevent against credit theft and fraud better than ever before. 

Protecting yourself from credit theft and fraud 

It’s an unfortunate reality in the world we live in today. Credit theft and fraud are something we all need to look out for, particularly as we increasingly shop and conduct our finances online, potentially exposing that information to thieves. Some figures estimate that for nearly every $100 in purchases made with debit and credit cards worldwide, somewhere around 7 cents can be stolen or fraudulent. As you can imagine, that figure adds up quickly, to the tune of more than $28 billion globally each year. 

The flipside is this: today we have plenty of tools that make protecting our credit far easier than they ever were before. Up until now, that called for a time-consuming and sometimes rather manual process. You had to check credit separately with the different bureaus, place locks and freezes the same way, scan each credit report closely for suspicious activity, and so forth. 

Now, online protection software can take much of that work off your hands. Comprehensive protection like McAfee+ has plans that offer credit monitoring, identity monitoring, and even identity theft protection & restoration—all quickly spotting any changes, notifying you if your personal information pops up on the dark web, and providing $1 of coverage toward restoring your credit along with the help of a licensed recovery pro if the unexpected happens to you. 

Leaving less of a trail for thieves to follow 

Another thing online protection can do for you removes your personal information from those “people finder” and data broker sites. Identity thieves lean on those sites because they contain valuable information that they can piece together to commit theft and fraud in someone else’s name. If you think about your identity as a big jigsaw puzzle, these sites contain valuable pieces that can help complete the picture—or just enough to take a crack at your credit. 

In fact, personal information fuels a global data trading economy estimated at $200 billion U.S. dollars a year. Run by data brokers that keep hundreds and even thousands of data points on billions of people, these sites gather, analyze, buy, and sell this information to other companies as well as to advertisers. Likewise, these data brokers may sell this information to bad actors, such as hackers, spammers, and identity thieves who would twist this information for their own purposes. In short, data brokers don’t discriminate. They’ll sell personal information to anyone. 

Getting your info removed from these sites can seem like a daunting task. (Where do I start, and just how many of these sites are out there?) Our Personal Data Cleanup can help by regularly scanning these high-risk data broker sites for you and info associated with you like your home address, date of birth, and names of relatives—along with other detailed information about you that could include marriage licenses, voter registration and motor vehicle records, even real estate records too. It identifies which sites are selling your data, and depending on your plan, automatically requests removal. 

Take control of your credit 

How things have changed. Even as thieves have gotten savvier in the digital age, so have we. Collectively, we have a growing arsenal of ways that we can keep on top of our credit and protect ourselves from credit theft and fraud.  

Our Credit Protection Security Guide breaks it all down in detail. In it, you’ll learn more about how thieves work, ways you can secure your credit online and off, how to monitor and lock it down, plus protect your mobile wallets too. It’s thorough. Yet you’ll find how straightforward the solution is. A few changes in habits and a few extra protections at your side will go a long way toward prevention—helping you avoid that call, text, or notification that your credit has been compromised. 

In all, you can take control of your credit and make sure you’re the only one putting it to good use. 

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The post Your Guide to Protecting Your Credit appeared first on Online Pitstop.

There’s no doubt that scammers are dedicated opportunists who can pivot fast. They can pose as health authorities during a pandemic, charities after a flood or even your next big love on an online dating platform. And it’s this chameleon ability that means we need to always be on red alert! 

How Big An Issue Are Scams in Australia? 

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Aussies lost a record amount of more than $2 billion in scams in 2021. And that was with record levels of intervention from the government, law enforcement agencies and the private sector. The most lucrative scams were investment scams ($701 million) followed by payment redirection scams ($227 million) and then romance scams which netted a whopping $142 million. 

But the psychological trauma that is often experienced by victims can be equally as devastating. Many individuals will require extensive counselling and support in order to move on from the emotional scarring from being a victim of hacking. 

So, with scammers putting so much energy into trying to lure us into their web, how can we stay one step ahead of these online schemers and ensure we don’t become a victim? 

What You Can Do To Stay Ahead Of The Scammers 

While there are no guarantees in life, there are a few steps you can take so that you can quickly recognise an online scam. 

1. Slow Down 

If you’ve received a text message, email or call that you think is a scam, don’t respond. Take your time. Slow down and pause. If it’s a call, and you’re not sure – hang up! Or if it’s a text or email – delete it! But if you are concerned that it might be legitimate, call the company directly using the contact information from their official website or through their secure apps.  

2. Think First 

If you are being asked to share your personal information or pay money either via a text or phone call, take some time to think. Does it feel legitimate? Do you have a relationship with this organisation? Remember, scammers are very talented at pretending they are from organisations you know and trust. If in doubt, contact the company directly via their official communication channels. Or ask a trusted friend or family member for their input. But remember, NEVER click on any links in messages from people or organisations you don’t know – no exceptions!! 

3. If Concerned, Act Fast!  

Do not hesitate to take action if something feels wrong. If there are any transactions on your credit card or bank statements that don’t look right, call your bank immediately. If you think you may have given personal information to scammers, then act fast. I recommend calling ID Care – Australia and New Zealand’s national identity and cyber support service. They are a not-for-profit charity that provides support to individuals affected by identity and cyber security issues. 

ReportCyber is another way of notifying authorities of a scam. An initiative of the Australian Government and the Australian Cyber Security Centre, it helps authorities investigate and shut down scams. It’s also a good idea to report the scam to Scamwatch – the dedicated scam arm of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). 

4. Get Ahead Of The Scammers 

We’ve all heard that ‘prevention is better than a cure’ so taking some time to protect yourself before a scammer comes your way is a no-brainer. Here are my top 5 things to do: 

• Ensure all your online accounts have an individual complex password. Use a password manager – they’ll create and remember your passwords. 
• Add multi-factor authentication whenever possible. This could be a code sent to your phone, a token or a secret question. 
• Ensure you have security software on all your devices 
• Close any online accounts you don’t use. It will reduce the probability of being caught in a data breach. 
• Software updates are an important way of protecting your devices (and private info) from security vulnerabilities. So, ensure these are automated.  

Please don’t think smart people don’t get caught up in scams because they do!! Scammers are very adept at looking legitimate and creating a sense of urgency. With many of us living busy lives and not taking the time to think critically, it’s inevitable that some of us will become victims. And remember if you’re offered a deal that just seems too good to be true, then it’s likely a scam! Hang up or press delete!! 

Introducing McAfee+

Identity theft protection and privacy for your digital life

The post How To Recognise An Online Scam appeared first on Online Pitstop.

1. Update

There are various aspects of your digital habits that you should consider updating for a more private and safer online life. For starters, update your passwords. Do you reuse the same password for multiple online accounts? Doing so puts your personally identifiable information (PII) at great risk. For example, if a business with which you have an online shopping account is breached by a cybercriminal, your login and password combination could make it on the dark web, through no fault of your own. Then, through a brute force attack, a criminal could use that same password and username combo to walk into your banking or tax filing accounts.   

Remembering unique, complicated passwords and passphrases for your dozens of online accounts would be impossible. Luckily, there’s software that remembers them for you! It’s called a password manager, which acts as a vault for all your login information. Just remember one master password, and you can be confident in the security of your accounts and never have to deal with the hassle of forgetting passwords. 

Another aspect of updating you should adopt in 2023 is making an effort to always upgrade to the latest software updates on all your devices. The easiest way to do this is to turn on automatic updates. From there, you don’t need to take any further action! Apps and operating systems (like Apple, Android, and Windows) often release updates to patch security vulnerabilities. When you run outdated software, there’s a chance a cybercriminal could take advantage of that security gap. 

Finally, make sure that you keep updated on the latest security headlines. Consider setting up news alerts to notify you when a breach occurs at a company that you frequent or have an account with. Speed is often key in making sure that your information remains safe, so it’s best practice to have your finger on the pulse on the security news of the day. 

2. Connect

A new year digital detox can be a whole family affair. Connect with your family, anyone connected to your home network, and your elderly relatives to get everyone on the same page with security best practices. Here are some common online security snags people of all ages encounter: 

Social media oversharing.

Everyone has an oversharer on their newsfeed. Alert your family members of the dangers of posting too much about their personal life. When someone takes those “get to know you” quizzes and posts their answers, cybercriminals can use that post to take educated guesses at your passwords. Additionally, social engineers can tailor social media scams to specific people in order to increase the chances of tricking someone into sending money or sharing valuable personal or banking details. 

Falling for phishing.

While spam filters catch a lot of phishing emails, phishers are getting smarter by the day and are making their attempts more and more believable. Connect with your loved ones and make sure they know how to recognize phishing emails, texts, and social media direct messages. Telltale signs of a phishing message include:  

• Typos and grammar mistakes 
• Over-the-top language that makes you feel very angry, sad, or excited 
• Harsh consequences for not replying within a short timeframe 
• Requests for passwords or Social Security Numbers 
• Blurry logos 

If you’re ever unsure if a message is a phishing attempt, the best course of action is to just delete it. If the “sender” is a well-known institution, follow up with a phone call using the official customer service number listed on their website. The phisher may also claim to be someone you know personally. In that case, give the loved one in question a phone call. It’s a good excuse to reconnect and have a nice conversation! 

Visiting unsafe sites.

In the quest for free streams of the latest new show or movie, people often encounter unsafe sites that hide malware, spyware or other types malicious links and programs. Some types of malware can jump from one device to others connected to the same home Wi-Fi network. That’s why it’s important to make sure everyone under your roof practices excellent digital security habits. One wrong click could sink an entire household. Consider signing up your family for a safe browsing extension that can notify you when you stray onto a risky site. So, instead of putting your device at risk during movie night, connect with your friends or loved ones over one copy of a safely and officially purchased version. 

3. Balance

As with any new health regimen, immediately zooming from zero to a hundred will likely be overwhelming and result in failure. The same goes for adopting new digital safety habits. If you try to do too much at once, all the security measures you put in place will likely get in the way of your daily online activities. The more inconvenient it is, the more likely you may be to cut corners; thus, negating all the progress you’ve made. 

Being cybersafe doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy your connected devices to the fullest. It just means that you may need to act with more intention and slow down before volunteering personal details online or clicking on links.  

Supplement Your Digital Detox With McAfee+ 

To supplement your digital detox, consider signing up for McAfee+ Ultimate to make 2023 the year for a safer online you. McAfee+ Ultimate includes all the tools you need to live your best online life safely and privately, including a password manager, web protection, unlimited VPN and antivirus, and $1 million in identity theft coverage and restoration for peace of mind. 

Cheers to a digitally smart 2023! 

Introducing McAfee+ Ultimate

Identity theft protection and privacy for your digital life

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The post Start the New Year Right With This 3-Step Digital Detox appeared first on Online Pitstop.