Staying Safe in a Digital Age & Library Title Feature

Library News - Staying Safe in a Digital Age and Library Title Feature

In our new digital age, it becomes more and more important to stay diligent when it comes to our device safety. Constantly, you hear about scams becoming more frequent and more sophisticated. And while they might target one age demographic more than another, anyone at any age can be fooled. This week, I thought I’d go over some telltale red flags to help you spot a scam.

Red flag number one: urgency.

“Your account is going to expire!”
“You ran out of storage! Renew now!”
“Your payment failed!”

All of these are potential warning signs of a scam. And these don’t just happen in one way. They can come through the mail, email, or even text messages.

A good tip is to check who the message is actually coming from. For example, is an email telling you that your iCloud storage is full? Before clicking anything, look at the sender's email address. Does it actually come from Apple, or does the address look strange or unfamiliar? If something doesn't look right, don't click on anything. When in doubt, delete it.

Red flag number two: asking for personal information.

You may get a call from a scammer claiming to be from your bank. If they start asking for personal information, warning bells should go off in your head. Your bank shouldn't be calling you unexpectedly and asking for sensitive information such as your PIN, password, or security code. The best rule of thumb? If you're unsure, hang up and call the number you have listed for your bank. Don't call the number the person just gave you or the number that appeared in the suspicious message. If the previous call really was your bank, no harm done. You have simply taken an extra step to verify it.

Red flag number three: the message wants you to click on a link.

If you receive a suspicious email or text with a link, don't click it. Even if the message looks legitimate, it's safer to open your browser or the company's official app and go there yourself. For example, you get a message claiming you received a deposit and asking you to click a link to review it. Instead of clicking the link, open your mobile banking app directly and check your account there.

One way to combat some of these unwanted messages is to use an email service with good spam and phishing filters. I have a family member who often shows me emails that I immediately recognize as scams. I wondered to myself, “How come I don't see these come through my own email nearly as frequently?” Then I remembered that the email service I use automatically filters many of these messages into my spam folder before they even reach my inbox.

My biggest tip: slow down. It is easy to scroll quickly and click on links without a second thought. It's easy to answer the phone and immediately believe the person on the other end is who they claim to be. It's concerning when your payment supposedly fails, and you don't want your service to be disconnected. However, it isn't worth risking your security and peace of mind.

If you're not sure, don't respond. Don't text back. Don't click the link. Hang up the call. Delete the email. Take a minute to verify the information another way. It's much better to be safe than sorry.

One of the things I love about the library is that we're not just here to help you find a book. We're here to help you find reliable information, too. If you're unsure about something you see online or need a little help navigating technology, stop in and ask us. We may not have all the answers, but we can help you find them.

Library Title Feature - Etna, by Paul Yoon

Told through the eyes of an ex-military dog who leaves the soldiers he once served and sets out on an odyssey across a war-torn country in search of home, hope, and a life beyond conflict.  "Don't let the book's length mislead you…Etna's odyssey deserves the epithet 'epic.'" —NPR, Best of August 

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 Library Contact Information:  Phone: (906) 252-4316, Email: mspl@manistiqueschools.org, Website: https://www.manistiquelibrary.org.