Many social media accounts are fake and designed to harvest data through deceit. One way to see if a profile is fraudulent is by downloading its profile picture and then doing a quick Google image search to see if it’s actually a stock photo. If it is, the profile is risky to engage with and […]

Plugins used to be essential to many rich web applications, but they’ve gradually been supplanted by technologies included in HTML 5. While some sites still require add-ons like Flash, it’s more efficient and safer to uninstall them, especially considering that Adobe – which makes Flash and Shockwave – has already announced their discontinuation. Doing so […]

Older operating systems are generally less safe than newer ones, especially if they’re connected to an IP network such as the internet. If you have any devices that do not support the latest releases of their OSes (e.g., a PC that couldn’t install Windows 10), think about replacing them with something more recent.

E-commerce sites only really need two main data points from you: 1) your payment information, like a credit card number and 2) your shipping address. If they ask for anything else, consider finding an alternative. You don’t need to supply your Social Security number just to have a package shipped to your residence. The e-commerce […]

Scam phone calls have seen a major resurgence despite regulations such as the National Do Not Call List. The best practice here is also the simplest: Don’t answer calls from unfamiliar numbers. Set up a voicemail inbox with a descriptive prompt so that legitimate callers can get in touch. Scam callers will often not leave […]

This advice isn’t always feasible. However, when you can, consider visiting a website via a saved bookmark or by manually typing in the address, instead of clicking a link from an email or other source. The latter method might take you somewhere unexpected. Using a bookmark or typing (with or without browser auto-complete) is generally […]