Nuvision Continues its Commitment to Protecting You from Fraud and Financial Scams
November marks the end of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the 15th year of the annual initiative by the federal government to educate citizens about the importance of cybersecurity. It also marks the end of the first year of Nuvision’s blog and awareness campaign to provide news and information about fraud and financial scams that threaten our members and consumers everywhere.
During the last 12 months, cybersecurity has grown more important. Cyberattacks are perceived as the global risk of highest concern to business leaders in advanced economies. Anyone with an email address is exposed to phishing. We see news of data breaches regularly – Facebook and Google+ were two of the most recent covered on this blog.
Breaches expose your personal information and financial data, which is a goldmine for cyberthieves and criminals. In addition, people are still largely unaware of the problem and what they can do about it.
That’s why Nuvision has committed to offer helpful, useful, and easy-to-follow tips and recommendations to reduce the risk that you’ll become a victim of fraud and identity theft. With that in mind, Nuvision wants to take this opportunity to review some of the topics and themes we have covered in the past year and look ahead to what you can expect in 2019 and beyond.
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is recognized in October each year, but the campaign’s message and the tools offered through the federal government are appropriate year-round.
The Department of Homeland Security wants everyone to know that, “cybersecurity is our shared responsibility.” DHS has developed the STOP. THINK. CONNECT. ™ campaign to “help raise national public awareness” to increase “understanding of cyber threats” and empower “the American public to be safer and more secure online.”
The website offers a variety of cyber tips and resources, including:
| RESOURCE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Join the campaign | Non-profit organizations, government agencies, colleges and universities, and individuals can join the Stop.Think.Connect. Campaign. |
| Stop.Think.Connect. Toolkit | Toolkit materials for K-8, high school and college students; parents and educators; young professionals; older Americans; industry; small business; and more. |
| Stop.Think.Connect. Campaign Blog | The latest cybersecurity news and tips to help you and your family stay safe online. |
| Stop.Think.Connect. Videos | Learn about what can affect your online security and how you can protect yourself. |
Nuvision’s brings awareness to fraud, scams and identity theft
Over the past 12 months, Nuvision has written two to three times each month about topics that directly affect our members – fraud, scams, identity theft, financial privacy, and cybersecurity. We provide data, studies and surveys from industry and cybersecurity experts. We offer practical tips, useful suggestions and simple recommendations to reduce the risk of becoming a victim.
Articles have addressed current news and events such as significant data breaches, scam warnings, and cybersecurity events. Here is a summary of the articles we’ve run over the last 12 months:
| Cybersecurity Tips, Recommendations & News | Data breaches & Technology | Holiday, Event & Imposter Scams | Fraud, Identity Theft & Financial Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUVISION’S COMMITMENT TO PROTECT OUR MEMBERS FROM FRAUD AND FINANCIAL SCAMS To help protect and inform our members, Nuvision is committed to bringing you the latest financial news, security alerts, and real-world advice that you can use to protect yourself and your sensitive financial data. | DANGERS OF PHISHING & PUBLIC WI-FI E-Mail Phishing and Public Wi-Fi: 2 Risks You Can Avoid With Patience and Knowledge | KEEP YOUR HOLIDAYS HAPPY AND AVOID COMMON SHOPPING SCAMS Shopping scams are a year-round concern, but from Thanksgiving to Christmas during the peak of the holiday shopping season, the bad guys work extra time to take advantage of increased purchase transactions. | FILES TAXES EARLY TO AVOID – OR DETECT – POTENTIAL FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY The Equifax and other data breaches could put your tax refund at risk, find our why it's so important to file this year's taxes early. |
| CYBERSECURITY: TIPS TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE PROTECTING YOUR INFORMATION Developing these habits in your cyber usage will help ensure that you don’t fall victim to identity theft or fraud. | PHISHING WARNING FROM HUNTINGTON BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT The Huntington Beach Police Department send out a warning of a phishing scam. | WINTER OLYMPIC SCAMS TARGET YOUR PERSONAL AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION PyeongChang Olympic-related email phishing on the rise. | ZELLE AND OTHER PAYMENT SERVICES ARE TARGET OF SCAMS Always use caution and common sense with person-to-person payment requests. |
| NUVISION LAUNCHES NEW BLOG TO PROVIDE MEMBERS WITH IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO HELP PROTECT AGAINST FRAUD AND SCAMS Nuvision Credit Union kicks off a new blog to help our members and visitors to nuvisionfederal.com fight fraud, avoid financial scams, and better protect sensitive personal and financial information. | MELTDOWN AND SPECTRE PUT COMPUTERS AND PHONES AT RISK Major Intel processing chip defects, dubbed “Meltdown” and “Spectre,” put security of computers and phones at risk. Act now to help protect yourself and your electronic devices from potential hackers. | PROTECT MOMS FROM FRAUD FOR MOTHER’S DAY Even buying a bouquet of flowers can make you the target of a scam. | W-2 PHISHING SCAMS THREATEN TAX REFUNDS AND FINANCIAL SECURITY There’s no foolproof way to avoid fraud, but taking prudent steps can reduce risk. |
| 7 WAYS TO MONITOR YOUR ACCOUNTS AND REDUCE THE RISK OF FRAUD If you become a victim of cybercrime, there are steps you should take to report it. | BREAKING: PANERA BREAD; SAKS, LORD & TAYLOR; AND MYFITNESSPAL DATA BREACHES PUT YOUR INFORMATION AT RISK Use the opportunity to change and strengthen your passwords. | SCAMS AND FRAUD HEAT UP DURING WORLD CUP AND SUMMERTIME Learn how to avoid the cybercrime attracted by high-profile events and vacation season. | DOES THE END OF CREDIT CARD SIGNATURES PUT YOU AT GREATER RISK OF FRAUD? Credit Card chip technology and contactless payment systems provide more security. |
| 5 STEPS TO CREATE STRONG, UNIQUE AND READILY ACCESSIBLE PASSWORDS In today’s digital world, creating strong passwords for your online accounts is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your personal and financial information. | BREAKING: TASK RABBIT, LOCALBLOX, LATEST TO ACKNOWLEDGE DATA BREACH INCIDENTS Ikea, which runs the freelance handyman service, said customers should change their password, while the data firm exposed personal information unknowingly culled from social networks. | DON’T LET CYBERCRIMINALS TURN AMAZON PRIME DAY INTO SCAM DAY The biggest promotional day of the year for the biggest online shopping site is a magnet for fraud and email phishing. | DEBIT CARD SCAMS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF VICTIMS’ TRUST If you can’t absolutely confirm the source of a phone call requesting personal information, hang up and call back. |
| 4 KEY BENEFITS OF FINANCIAL SPRING CLEANING An annual spring cleaning plan can help your finances and your relationships. | BREAKING: MACY’S DATA BREACH A REMINDER TO TAKE YOUR DATA SECURITY SERIOUSLY Consumers are the victims when their data is lost, stolen, or exposed, but you can take steps to protect yourself. | DON’T LET CYBERCRIMINALS UNEARTH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION ON EARTH DAY Recycling is good for the planet, but can be bad for your privacy if you don’t dispose of your e-waste properly. | STUDENTS INCREASINGLY VICTIMS OF FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT There are steps students can take to protect themselves, but first they must become aware. |
| 7 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE GIVING A COMPANY YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION Knowing what to look for can help you avoid situations that put your data at risk. | BREAKING: FACEBOOK ANNOUNCED 50 MILLION ACCOUNTS AFFECTED BY “A SECURITY ISSUE” There is no evidence accounts were misused, but you should protect yourself amid unanswered questions. | VETERANS AND MILITARY TARGETED BY IMPOSTER SCAMS Military consumers reported losing more than $25 million to imposter scams in 2017. | WATCH OUT FOR CREDIT REPAIR, CREDIT CARD, AND DEBT RELIEF SCAMS The number of credit card accounts presents a potential goldmine for thieves and criminals. |
| GDPR: WHAT IS IT, AND SHOULD CREDIT UNION MEMBERS CARE? The new European privacy regulation has given hackers a new opportunity to disguise phishing scams. | HOW TO PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION AFTER GOOGLE+ AND FACEBOOK DATA BREACHES Google+ is going away, so you may want to delete that account; Facebook is another story. | HURRICANE FLORENCE MAY FLOOD YOUR EMAIL WITH DONATION AND CHARITY FRAUD Learn how to avoid the scams and donate with confidence. |
The year ahead
Over the next year, we plan to provide more information about specifics types of cybersecurity and technology threats.
There are steps you can take to protect your phones, tablets and other mobile devices. You can become more aware of and reduce the risk from malware and ransomware.
There are scams that target your utilities. Scams target real estate transactions, and mortgage and auto loans. Other common scams involve fake emergencies, small businesses, and tech support. Some scams are focused on senior citizens and older adults, some are directed at students, and yet others prey on child identity theft.
Phishing continues to be the No. 1 way that cybercriminals gain access to online banking and social media accounts, find your personal and private information, drain your checking or savings. Data breaches often reveal payment information, which is sold on the dark web and used to create duplicate and fraudulent credit and debit cards. You can’t prevent data breaches, but you can take steps to reduce your risk and minimize any potential damage.
E-commerce online retail allows thieves to take advantage of malicious trends called juice-jacking, trust-jacking and crypto-jacking.
And, of course, we will continue to make you aware of significant data breaches that have the potential to compromise your financial security.
Nuvision’s commitment
As one of the leading credit unions in California, Nuvision is committed to bringing you the information to protect yourself from fraud, scams and identity theft. We will continue to recap news, trends and information to better avoid current and future threats. And, most importantly, we will make sure to offer suggestions and recommendations that are simple and easy-to-follow. We know most people don’t have time to read about cybersecurity every day and want to use their phone or read email without worrying about threats that could ruin your finances and cause endless headaches.
So, if you commit checking in on the Nuvision fraud protection blog a couple times a month, Nuvision will make sure to respect your time and your intelligence by giving you tools to protect your wallet and your identity.
Thank you for being a part of this blog during the first 12 months and we look forward to the next 12.
Stay on top of fraud trends and news
Nuvision is your credit union resource for alerts, news, and information about fraud, identity theft, financial and data protection, and cybersecurity. Learn about fraud protection and follow Nuvision on Facebook and Twitter to receive updates when new articles are published.
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