“Lose 10 pounds in two days! Unmask the latest diet craze that will make you the envy of all your friends!”
“See what this mom did just to get the perfect picture! (Reader caution advised)”
“The number one reason why you should NEVER go on roller coasters with your hair down!”
How many of the above topics sound at least somewhat familiar to you? And how many times have you clicked on similar ones?
Do you use social media to keep up with family and friends? How about to read and share mind blowing articles (like the ones here on the ZoneAlarm blog)? Either way, if you hang around social media at all, chances are you have encountered and clicked on shortened URLs even if you weren’t aware of it. But as useful as shortened URLs are, they can easily be corrupted by hackers and scammers.
Have you ever tried searching for yourself on Google? Sure, it might seem like fun to see how many times you come up in a Google search. You’ll find your Facebook profile, a talkback you posted a few years ago and some whitepages.com results. Nothing too interesting there. But when you think about it, the very fact that you do come up means you’re being tracked. And it’s all thanks to cookies.
In a past post we discussed how to keep yourself safe from identity fraud. Our ever-increasing reliance on “all things digital” creates the perfect storm for hackers to steal not only passwords and logins, but our very identities, too. Previously, we highlighted some of the most important tactics you need to be aware of to keep your personal details secure in a world that seems to hemorrhage information. With the right habits and tools, you lessen your chances of becoming part of an ID fraud statistic.
But sometimes, you can be doing all the right things, and through no fault of your own, wind up compromised, as was seen in the too-many-to-count hacks of 2015. Last year was truly a watershed year in terms of hacks and it’s estimated that over one half of American adults had their identity compromised in some way. If you were one of those people, there are some things you can do to minimize the impact of the loss of that private information. And when it comes to your identity, time isn’t really on your side. Don’t spend precious moments wondering what to do next, just get going with anything and everything you can to reduce the damage.
Valentine’s Day is the quintessential time to show the one you love your appreciation. And what says “You mean so much to me” more than a box of chocolates? Or a bottle of wine? Boring, overdone, and if you think about it, these typical gifts aren’t a very personal way to show you care. If you’re looking for a creative, yet practical way to show your appreciation, why not get your special somebody something that could actually make their lives better and more secure?
No, we aren’t suggesting to buy your significant other a small underground bunker or a body guard to keep away from any potential danger – that would be, well, extreme. But think about this – in 2014, identity fraud and breaches cost some 12.7 million Americans $16 billion. And countless people lost time, money and information to hacks and viruses that could have been prevented. Wouldn’t you like to make sure your true love is in the clear? To that end, we present to you some security-minded Valentine’s Day gift ideas that will let your sweetheart know you really care.
