5. Protect Your Email Like It’s Gold
Your email account is the “master key” to your digital life. If someone gets into your email, they can reset passwords for nearly everything else.
Treat your email password as your most important credential.
Best practices:
- Use your strongest, longest password
- Enable two-factor authentication
- Avoid public Wi-Fi without a VPN service
Many fraud protection services recommend securing email first before anything else.
6. Beware of Phishing Scams
Hackers don’t just crack passwords — they trick people into giving them away.
Phishing emails often look like they’re from:
- Banks
- Social Security
- Medicare
- Delivery companies
They may say:
- “Your account has been locked”
- “Suspicious login detected”
- “Verify your information now”
Never click suspicious links. Instead:
- Type the website address directly into your browser
- Call the company using the official phone number
- Good antivirus software and cybersecurity software can help detect phishing sites automatically.
