General tips for keeping your personal information under lock and key

• Use strong and unique passwords for all your accounts. Use a password manager.
• Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments in emails or messages. Hover over a link before clicking and be wary if the link does not resemble the sender’s email address domain name.
• Keep your software and operating system up to date to avoid vulnerabilities. Always use “check for updates” and ignore an email of message that tells you to “click here to update”.
• Enable two-factor authentication for added security. Everywhere you can.
• Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when connecting to public Wi-Fi. Never trust “free wi-fi” - there’s a reason it’s free.
• Be mindful of what personal information you share online. Any piece of information however trivial might be used against you.
• Regularly back up your important data. Do this offline, or with a highly trusted online storage provider.

Avoid these phishing hooks

It's important to remember that legitimate organisations and companies will never ask you to provide personal information through email, text message, or social media, and they will never ask you to download software to your computer or phone. If you receive an unsolicited request for personal information, it's best to verify the legitimacy of the request by contacting the organisation or company directly using a known and trusted contact method.

• Email scams: You receive an email that appears to be from a legitimate organisation or company (such as your bank, PayPal, or Amazon), asking you to click on a link or provide personal information, such as your username and password, credit card information, or driver’s license number. These emails often contain urgent or threatening language to try to get you to act quickly without thinking.
• SMS scams: Similar to email scams, you receive a text message that appears to be from a legitimate organisation or company, asking you to click on a link or provide personal information. These text messages may also contain urgent or threatening language.
• Social media scams: Scammers create fake social media accounts or pages that look like those of legitimate companies or organisations. They may post links to fake websites or ask you to provide personal information through private messages.
• Phone scams: Scammers call you pretending to be a representative of a legitimate organisation or company and ask you to provide personal information, such as your credit card number or driver’s license number. They may also ask you to download software that gives them access to your computer or phone.

The ACCC’s The Little Black Book of Scams is an internationally recognised FREE tool to learn about scams. It's an easy read and contains valuable information.

What you can do if you receive scam calls/messages

If you have received calls or messages that you believe are scams or generally fraudulent, you can report the scam to the ACCC via www.scamwatch.gov.au. Reporting a scam to the ACCC or the appropriate agency will help them warn the community about scams and take action to disrupt scams. Not just there for reproting scams, there is plenty of very helpful information on the Scamwatch website.

Be aware of types of Malware

To protect yourself from malware, make sure to keep your operating system and antivirus software up to date, avoid downloading software or files from untrusted sources, and be cautious when clicking on links or opening attachments in emails or messages. Additionally, practice good cybersecurity habits, such as using strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication.

• Viruses: A computer virus is a malicious program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. It can infect files, damage your system, and steal your personal information. You can recognise a virus infection by slow system performance, unusual pop-up messages, and unexpected crashes.
• Trojans: A Trojan is a type of malware that disguises itself as a legitimate program, such as a game or utility, but is designed to steal your personal information, damage your computer, or give a hacker remote access to your system. You can recognise a Trojan by unexpected changes to your computer's settings or files, slow system performance, and the appearance of pop-up ads or messages.
• Ransomware: Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts your files and demands a ransom payment in exchange for the decryption key. It can be spread through email attachments, infected websites, or phishing scams. You can recognise a ransomware infection by the appearance of a ransom note or message on your screen.
• Spyware: Spyware is a type of malware that collects your personal information without your knowledge or consent. It can track your web browsing activity, capture your keystrokes, and steal your login credentials. You can recognise spyware by slow system performance, unusual pop-up messages, and unexpected changes to your computer's settings.