This post is sponsored by The Department of Homeland Security; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Outfit Details:
Striped Cardigan // Monogram Necklace – XL 16″ Yellow Gold // Lace Tank // Jeans in Moore // Over the Knee Boots in Taupe Notch Suede // Pave Faux Diamond Earrings in Yellow Gold // Diffuser // Desk // Chair // Leopard Rug //
Sharing my life with y’all on my blog and Instagram is seriously the best job ever. I love connecting with y’all and sharing my personal style, moments as a new mom, and just every day tips to make you look and feel your best. I always want to be authentic and real, but at the same time over-sharing is something I always try to be careful of. Having everything seemingly at our fingertips online, it’s so important to be aware of what you’re sharing and what you’re clicking on.
I like to think of myself as pretty tech savvy – a lot of y’all may not know this but I actually built my website for my blog and run everything myself. I always hear stories about people being victims of cyber crimes like identity theft, and always wonder how people can be so careless to give away their private information so freely? That was, until recently when it happened to me!
sharing too much online
A few weeks ago I was trying to edit some photos for a blog post on my computer, and it was running so slowly. I decided that I needed to call tech support to fix the issue quickly, because I needed to get work done while Olivia was napping. All of my mamas out there know how critical nap time is. 🙂 I did a quick search online for the tech support number, and the number popped up as the first search result. I clicked it, and immediately the number was dialed on my phone. Within a few seconds, I was connected to a representative, and explained the issues I was having with my computer.
He asked me to verify my email address associated with my account login, and without thinking, I gave it to him. Then, it hit me. This person didn’t ask for the serial number for my computer to verify that I even had the product, and really didn’t seem to give me any feedback to let me know he was actually listening to my problem. I immediately hung up the phone without saying anything, because I knew that this wasn’t the real tech support, and was actually an internet scammer!
how easy it is to over-share
I couldn’t believe it! How did I do this? Thankfully all I gave him was an old email address, and I didn’t give him my name, date of birth, address or anything like that. I’m so happy that I was paying attention to what was happening, but I know that some people probably aren’t as cautious as I am. I got in touch with the real tech support by visiting their website, so I knew it was the correct number. I actually explained my story to the real representative and he said to email him screenshots of the top ad search spot with the fraudulent number. Thankfully after sending them everything, it was removed! It’s just so scary to me how easy it is for people to get your information, and how sometimes we give away our personal information so freely!
It’s not just online on a web browser – you can have your information compromised via apps too! I’ve had a few fellow blogger friends lose access to their Instagram accounts by clicking fake emails from ‘Instagram’ that actually hacked their accounts. It’s crazy how much it’s happening to my generation – 44% of U.S. Millennials have been a victim of online crime in the last year.
ways to protect yourself online
I am sharing my story with y’all because the internet is an amazing place. It allows us to connect and share in ways we couldn’t possibly do otherwise, but it’s so important to keep your information safe and to always pay attention to what you’re doing online. Here are things that y’all can start doing now to help protect yourselves online:
- Don’t share your passwords!
- Use the strictest privacy settings for social media. You can access those under settings on your account – I highly recommend this!
- Disable geotagging features. This allows people to know where you are and when you’re there. If I ever share my location, it’s after I’ve been there and share when I am somewhere else.
- Sounds simple, but don’t over-share your information. It’s easier to give away then you think, just like my story above. Always make sure the websites you’re visiting are the real ones, and if you’re not sure, don’t click and find the real site/information yourself.
- When you’re using public Wi-Fi, use MFA (multi-factor authentication) or 2FA (2-factor authentication) to keep yourself more secure. Enable these by using a trusted mobile device (your smartphone or an authenticator app.
I am so thankful to be able to share my life online with y’all, and want y’all to stay safe too! Make sure y’all read more about how you can stay smart online here! 🙂
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