Cybersafety Connections Feb.2021 Vol. #2

For 3 decades in Nigeria I did not have good dental care. Right now in the U.S, what I am trying to do is damage control in terms of dental care.

Knowledge is power and putting knowledge to work is even more powerful. I have worked with colleagues who were very knowledgeable and smart but would not implement what they knew.

Though dental care/prevention may not carry the same weight as cybersecurity, cyberattacks /breaches/hacks can carry expensive cost implication. Here are few tips to start with this week.

From one of my Bankers – Bank of America

	Watch out for COVID-19 scams Ignore offers to get the vaccine early, for a fee — whether via computer, phone or social media.
	Be aware of gift card tricksters Don’t buy gift cards or provide gift card information to someone you don’t know.
	Stay away from risky connections Avoid unknown networks and ensure devices are not set to automatically join when you’re not home.

From Journal of Accountancy

Tax Corner

With the upcoming Tax Season beware of identity theft scam involving unemployment benefits

“The IRS also told taxpayers they can protect themselves from federal tax return identity theft by requesting an identity protection PIN (IP PIN) from the IRS, which is now available to all taxpayers. An IP PIN is a six-digit number the IRS issues that prevents an identity thief from filing a tax return using a taxpayer’s Social Security number. Because only the taxpayer and the IRS know the number, an IP PIN helps the Service verify the taxpayer’s identity when the taxpayer files his or her paper or e-filed tax return.”

For Consumers Online;

1.Change your Password every few months.

2.Use different passwords on different websites.

3.Check credit report, bank statements and credit card statements regularly to avoid surprises.