Category: Safety | Internet Security

So many scams, too little time to stay ahead of them all. Cyber criminals are not nice people, but they certainly are creative; always thinking of new ways to scam you. Scammers are opportunists working in multiple areas at the same time. Their motivation is money. They will either access your personal information and sell it to others or easily steal your money outright.

You may not know about every scam that’s on the internet or offline in the real world. But there are common ways of how you can be aware of and prepared for all potential scams. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to learn about old scams and new ones that are created.

Common Scams to Be on the Look Out For

In Part 1 of our scam awareness series, we look at common scams and new scams that are ever emerging.  Through this education on scams, you’ll notice a persistent theme of how you can be prepared. Even if a brand-new scheme designed to fool you rears it’s ugly head for the first time, there are consistent things you can do to protect yourself.

Most people become victims of scans through email and texts.  The first defense against malicious messages is to follow the SLAM Method.

SLAM stands for Sender, Links, Attachments, and Message. All of these elements should be scrutinized.  

Sender: Don’t accept message requests from outside of your known circle of friends or connections.  Don’t accept friend requests from anyone you don’t know.

Links:  Do not click on any links in social media posts, profiles or messages unless you can see the full URL and be certain that the site is legitimate.

Attachments: Never download or open attachments from social media posts, profiles or messages.

Message:  Look carefully at the body of any social media message or post that you are interacting with. If it feels off, contains misspellings, off grammar or even uncharacteristic emojis, you might be looking at a phishing attempt.  Be wary of messages that push you to take some urgent action or another.

Remember the SLAM Method throughout our scam educational series.  But we’ll also be looking at scams that also happen via direct communication with scammers.  Let’s begin!

Charity Scams

Types of charity scams include:

Crowd Sourcing Scams:  Don’t take for granted that all is legit. Scrutinize the validity of the crowding funding request.

Post Tragedy Scams:  When a tragedy strikes, scammers will sometimes spoof the website or create a site that closely resembles the site of a legitimate donation site.

Firefighter, Police and Military Scams:  These scammers will often use familiar or local organizations to build trust and take people off guard.   Some will directly target military veterans and their families.

Warning Signs of Charity Scams:

1. Requests for cash, money wire, or gift card donations can be a red flag. Use a credit card instead.
2. Non-tax deductible donations are a red flag that a charity may not be legitimate.
3. Pressure Tactics: Real charities will never use a hard sell or pressure tactics to solicit a donation.
4. Fake information: Charitable donation websites almost always end with .org and domains will always start with https:// not http:// without the “s”.

Beware of fake charities based related to common world issues, such as what happened during the pandemic. Scammers prey on the emotions of people who want to help those in need of disaster relief, such as during war or refugees fleeing their country for safety or a better life.  Charity and disaster fraud often increases during the holiday season.

Cybercriminals will also call people thanking them for a previous donation, a donation which may have not been made. Veteran fraud and disaster fraud are often the premise used for fake charity scams.

Marketplace Scams

There are two categories within marketplace scams.

Non-Payment Scam:   In a non-payment scam, cybercriminals will use a phony screenshot of a completed cash transfer to trick a victim into shipping an item.

Non-Delivery Scams:  Scammers trick victims into paying for goods and services that are never delivered.  They offer prices that are almost too good to be true.

Non-delivery scams advertise popular items and services at deeply discounted prices and ask for payment using gift cards or cash payment through a payment app.

Marketplace scams come in many forms so always be cautious.  These creative types of scams also happen when individuals are selling items online.

Prevention Tips:

1. Know your marketplace:  When shopping online, do so on trusted sources with secure processing and payment policies that protect consumers.
2. Use a credit card:  Credit card companies have systems and policies in place to protect against a fraud.
3. Stay on the platform you are shopping on:  Scammers will try to bait their victims into leaving the marketplace platform for messaging and payment.

Gift Card Scams

It may seem obvious to many that that any legitimate organization would ask to be paid in gift cards.  Still, it’s a common scan that pulls people in. Scammers create a sense of fear and urgency pressure their targets into acting quickly without thinking. Asking to keep the transaction a secret is a warning sign of a gift card scam.

Cyberthieves prefer gift card payments because they offer anonymity.  Unlike other forms of payment, transactions can be anonymous and are difficult to trace or reverse, unlike bank transfers.  Gift cards are also widely available and offer immediate access to funds once the victim buys a gift card at a local store and send the scammer the number and pin to redeem the funds.

What To Do If You Are Targeted

Any gift card payment request is likely a scam and should be ignored. If you receive a phone call, email, or text message requesting a gift card as payment, immediately hang up or delete the message.

Contact the company directly using a known number or email address instead. If you have an account with the organization, log into your account to see if there are any notices, such as an overdue payment.

Display Name Scams

Display name spoofing occurs when the cybercriminal manipulates the sender’s display name or makes the display name look like an email address.  Seeing a legitimate display name deceives you into believing that it’s from a trusted email source.

If a sender looks familiar, but the message makes unusual requests, it is best to contact the person or company directly through another method of contact.

Delivery Scams

Types include:

Pet Delivery Scams: These are fake ads where payment is required upfront.

• Protect yourself asking to see the pet in person before you pay.

Fake Delivery Notifications:  Here, scammers mimic big name online shopping or shipping companies in their delivery scam messages. They claim there is a problem with the delivery of your package, or you need to confirm something has been delivered.

• Be cautious of clicking on links or downloading attachments.  Never enter personal information when requested. Verify the tracking number and status of a delivery through the companies’ official website. 

Non-Delivery Scams:  An example of a non-delivery scam in this training involves making a purchase online, but never receiving the order or confirmation details of the purchase.  Only make purchases on reputable websites.

• When you do make an order, follow up immediately if you don’t receive a confirmation of your order. Check the address on the website and phone number. 

If you are unable to make contact and your credit card was charged by a non-delivery scammer, you should call your credit card company and consider deactivating the card.

Transportation Scams

Scammers will make phone calls or send messages via text or email claiming that your flight has been delayed or cancelled. Messages will likely include links that offer a refund for the flight or an opportunity to rebook for a small fee.  Airlines will never ask for a fee to rebook. Contact your airline directly on their website or call them to enquire about the status of your flight.

Cyberthieves also set up fake websites or send messages offering deals on rental cars as well. Always verify the URL and company phone number before booking. In your unsure, going to directly to the official website is always better than clicking a link.

Learn the dangers of freight scams.  Be on the look out for gifts and rewards being offered by transportation companies. Tread carefully and do your research before jumping on a deal that may be a scam created to steal your information or your money.

Technical Support Scams

Technical support scams often involve cybercriminals pretending to work for well-known companies to fix non-existent issues. They manipulate victims to build trust and convince them to comply with their demands.

A scammer gaining remote access to your device remotely can install harmful software or access sensitive data, leading to significant privacy and financial risks.

Requests for payments to be made via gift cards or cryptocurrencies should always be treated as a scam.

Technical support scams often start with unsolicited pop-ups or phone calls warning of an issue with your device.  These tactics are designed to create urgency and trick victims into engaging with the scammer.  Malware may contain a fake phone number urging you to call to fix issues you are having with your device.

Pop-ups may happen when visiting infected websites.  Or, they can occur if your computer is infected by malware. To guard against these issues, install anti-malware software to both prevent and remove malware.

Even if you are certain that you may be dealing with a legitimate company who has called about your account, express your concern and state that you wish to call them back directly using a phone number posted on their companies official website.

Never give our personal information to anyone that calls you.  Legitimate companies will not call you and ask you for personal information.  Remember, that with much of our personal information being available on the dark web due to data breach, scammers can easily sound like they are legitimate when they state facts about your personal info.

Conclusion

Most scams come to us when we have our guard down. They prey on our emotions by using fear filled headlines or threats of potential loss of accounts or hard-earned dollars. It’s not uncommon to receive an email, phone call, or text that is related to something we have already done.

You may be expecting a package that you ordered a few days earlier. You may have booked a flight.  Maybe you happen to be needing of a product or service. That fact that relevant messages come to us are simply a coincidence. When you receive a text or email out of the blue, always ask the question; “Is this real? Or is it a scam?”

Some scams also encourage users to download malicious apps in order to receive a reward or discount. This does not prey on our fear, but entices a natural human desire for personal gain. Be cautious of all app downloads in every situation.

In one second you could infect your devices with malware to give away personal login information. However, it only takes a few seconds more to carefully review the message to verify it’s legit. When in doubt, go to Google and search for the company. Visit their website directly. Or, login to trusted websites directly at the source from a personal bookmark, not though an email link.

If an email or text message lines up with a legitimate notice about a login verification or purchase you just made, it’s still a good idea to only click the link after you’ve double checked that it’s not going you to a different site.  This can be done by hovering over the link to see the destination.

Continue to educate yourself on how to spot scams, while being mindful that exercising caution is your first best step to protecting yourself.   Be prepared by thinking twice before you click or react to any message or phone call. Take a breath and take the time to do a bit of research. I will save you a world of trouble.

Continue your education, read about Common Scams – Part 2.

Read our Glossary of Online Scams and Cyber Threats

A few years ago, many cybersecurity teams treated security reviews like scheduled maintenance. Teams would perform assessments, review findings, fix identified issues, and revisit the environment later. That approach worked reasonably well during a time when business systems changed at a slower pace.

Today’s environments look completely different. Companies deploy code daily, connect new software platforms regularly, expand cloud resources constantly, and support employees working across offices, homes, and mobile devices. Security conditions can look different on Monday than they did on Friday.

However, this has changed how organizations think about protection. Security teams no longer want visibility limited to occasional checkpoints because threats do not wait for scheduled reviews. A new application can introduce risk overnight. A configuration change can expose sensitive systems within hours. An overlooked integration can create an opening that attackers discover long before a routine assessment takes place.

Continuous Validation

Many organizations have realized that security findings become outdated surprisingly fast. A clean assessment completed three months ago may say very little about current conditions if dozens of software updates, infrastructure changes, and new integrations have happened since then. Security teams increasingly want verification that reflects today’s environment rather than yesterday’s.

This need has increased interest in approaches that support ongoing evaluation. Continuous penetration testing helps organizations examine how defenses hold up as systems evolve throughout the year. Instead of treating testing as a standalone event, businesses increasingly view security validation as an ongoing activity that keeps pace with operational changes. The goal is to gain confidence that protections remain effective even as applications, cloud resources, and business processes continue changing.

Faster Vulnerability Detection

One of the biggest advantages of continuous monitoring comes from speed. Cybersecurity teams know that the earlier a weakness is discovered, the easier it often becomes to manage. Problems identified shortly after they appear typically require far less effort than issues that remain hidden for extended periods.

Modern organizations release updates frequently, which creates opportunities for new vulnerabilities to emerge between traditional assessments. Continuous monitoring helps security teams notice unusual activity, unexpected system behavior, and newly introduced weaknesses much earlier. Rather than waiting weeks or months for the next review, organizations can identify concerns while they are still relatively contained.

Digital Asset Visibility

Many businesses operate in environments that grow and change constantly. New devices connect to networks. Employees adopt new applications. Departments subscribe to cloud services independently. Development teams launch new resources whenever projects require them. After a while, keeping track of everything becomes surprisingly difficult.

Continuous monitoring provides visibility across those moving parts. Security teams can observe changes as they happen and maintain a more comprehensive understanding of what exists inside the environment. This awareness matters because unknown assets often create security challenges. A forgotten application, an overlooked device, or an unmanaged cloud resource can become an attractive target simply because nobody is actively watching it. Continuous visibility helps reduce those blind spots and supports stronger oversight across increasingly complex digital environments.

Cloud Security Oversight

Cloud environments have given organizations remarkable flexibility, though they have introduced new security responsibilities as well. Resources can be deployed within minutes. Teams can expand infrastructure quickly. Services can be activated across multiple regions with very little effort. While those capabilities support business growth, they can make security oversight far more challenging.

Continuous monitoring helps organizations maintain awareness across cloud environments that rarely stay the same for long. Security teams gain insight into changes, configurations, and activity occurring across cloud resources without relying solely on periodic reviews. This ongoing visibility becomes especially valuable for businesses operating large cloud environments where dozens of changes may happen every day.

Ongoing Threat Visibility

Cybersecurity programs increasingly prioritize ongoing threat visibility because modern attacks rarely announce themselves clearly from the beginning. Suspicious activity may start with subtle changes, unusual login attempts, or unexpected system behavior that appears insignificant on its own. Such early signs can go unnoticed if organizations only examine their environments occasionally.

Continuous monitoring allows security teams to observe activity over time and identify patterns that might otherwise remain hidden. Instead of relying on isolated reviews, organizations gain a running view of what is happening across networks, applications, devices, and cloud services. Such a broader perspective helps teams investigate concerns sooner, understand evolving risks more clearly, and make decisions using current information rather than historical snapshots.

Faster Incident Response

Speed matters enormously during cybersecurity incidents. Once suspicious activity begins, every minute spent figuring out what happened can increase the impact of the situation. Traditional review models sometimes leave security teams working with limited information because visibility depends heavily on scheduled assessments and historical reports.

Continuous monitoring helps reduce that delay by providing ongoing awareness of activity across systems and networks. Security teams can often spot unusual behavior much earlier and begin investigating before problems spread further. Faster awareness supports quicker containment, better decision-making, and a more organized response process.

Multi-Platform Visibility

Most organizations no longer operate from a single network or location. Business operations may involve cloud services, internal systems, remote employees, mobile devices, third-party platforms, and software applications spread across multiple environments. Each connection creates another area that requires attention.

Continuous monitoring improves visibility across those environments by providing a broader view of activity occurring throughout the organization. Security teams can follow connections between systems, identify unusual behavior across platforms, and understand how different technologies interact.

Configuration Management

Many security problems do not start with sophisticated attacks. They begin with simple mistakes. An incorrect permission setting, an exposed storage bucket, a forgotten administrative account, or a poorly configured application can create opportunities that attackers later exploit.

Continuous security models help identify those issues before they become major concerns. Instead of waiting for periodic reviews to discover configuration problems, organizations can monitor environments regularly and flag unexpected changes much sooner. This approach allows teams to correct mistakes while they are still relatively small and manageable. In many cases, preventing a problem is far less disruptive than responding to one after it has already caused damage.

Expanding Attack Surfaces

Every new application, connected device, cloud service, remote worker, and third-party integration increases the size of an organization’s digital footprint. Businesses benefit from those technologies, though they also create additional areas that require protection. Cybersecurity teams now manage environments that are far larger and more connected than they were just a decade ago.

This growth has encouraged around-the-clock observation because risks can emerge from many different directions. A security approach designed for smaller, more contained environments often struggles once dozens of systems interact continuously.

Cybersecurity programs are moving toward continuous monitoring because modern digital environments rarely stay still. Applications change, cloud resources expand, users connect from different locations, and new technologies enter business operations constantly. Traditional security reviews still provide value, though many organizations now recognize that occasional assessments alone cannot provide the visibility needed for today’s conditions.

Well, it’s actually two things.  1. Buy a paper shredder.  2. Shred your mail or any document with personal information. Before recycling, most paper went in the black bags and disposed of in a local dump.  One might think that the odds of someone breaking into the dump and going through bags to find the identity of people would be slim to none.

Regardless of the actual risk of your identity sitting in a city dump, these days recycled paper ends up at a recycling facility.  Blue bags or bins are emptied out onto a conveyor belt and sorted by workers.  Now, think of how easy it would be for one of these workers to spot a piece of mail or document with someone’s full name and address on it.  It would only take a second to slip that paper into their pocket. There begins the paper trail of your identity, or the identity of a family member, being stolen.

In reality, the paper trail starts at home.   And let’s be clear, neither discarding personal documents in a black bag or blue bag is safe.

Identity Theft Not Just From Data Breaches

When most people think of identity theft, they think of data breaches. This is when hackers infiltrate large corporations and steal the personal information of thousands, or even millions, of people at once. That stolen data is then sold on the dark web to identity thieves.  They use it to open credit cards, take out loans, or file fraudulent tax returns in your name. It’s a very real threat, and the scale of it can feel overwhelming and out of your control.

But not all identity theft is orchestrated by sophisticated cybercriminals operating from across the globe. Sometimes the threat is much closer to home.

Your Recycling Bin Could Be a Goldmine for Thieves

Local identity theft is more common than most people realize. A discarded bank statement, a pre-approved credit card offer, or an explanation of benefits from your insurance company contains enough information for someone to do serious damage.

Unlike a data breach that requires technical expertise, stealing from a recycling bin or a trash bag requires nothing more than opportunity. It can happen on your street, in your neighborhood, or at a local facility. It could even be carried out by someone you may even recognize.

A shredder eliminates that opportunity entirely. For less than the cost of a dinner out, you can make your personal documents completely worthless to anyone who might find them. Remember, children and teens are also at risk of having their identity stolen.

What Documents Should You Be Shredding?

Most people know they should shred obvious things like bank statements and tax returns, but the list of documents that can put you at risk is longer than you might think. A pre-approved credit card offer that arrives in the mail has enough information on it for a thief to activate the card on your behalf.

An explanation of benefits from your health insurance company contains your policy number and personal details. Even a simple piece of junk mail addressed to you confirms your full name and address, which is often all someone needs to start piecing together your identity.

Here is a general rule of thumb: if a document has your name and address on it, shred it. If it has any account numbers, policy numbers, or financial information, shred it without question. When in doubt, run it through the shredder. The few seconds it takes is a small price to pay for the peace of mind it provides.

Don’t Forget About Your Family Members

This is where many people drop the ball. You might be diligent about shredding your own documents, but what about the mail that arrives for your spouse, your children, or an elderly parent who lives with you?

Identity thieves do not discriminate by age. In fact, children and seniors are often targeted precisely because their credit histories are either clean or rarely monitored. A child’s Social Security number can be used for years before anyone notices, and by the time they apply for their first credit card or student loan, the damage is already done. Make shredding a household habit, not just a personal one.

Government IT is now at the heart of how public services are delivered and experienced. Whether it’s accessing healthcare systems, supporting digital classrooms, or enabling local council services, technology underpins nearly every interaction between the public and essential services.

As reliance on digital platforms continues to grow, so does the need for secure, scalable, and well-managed infrastructure. Public sector organizations must balance accessibility with security, ensuring that systems are easy to use while still protecting sensitive data. This is especially important in environments where large volumes of users interact with shared systems daily.

Strong IT foundations allow services to operate smoothly while reducing risks associated with cyber threats, outages, or data breaches.

Strengthening Secure Access Across Public Environments

Creating secure access across multiple government environments requires a unified and strategic approach. Systems must be designed to handle different user needs, from staff requiring full access to systems, to members of the public accessing limited services. This is where well-structured IT solutions become essential.

Many public sector organizations look to trusted providers such as Cisilion IT to implement secure infrastructure that supports both operational efficiency and data protection. By investing in tailored IT systems, government bodies can ensure consistent security standards across all facilities, while also enabling flexibility for different types of users.

Secure Access in Schools and Educational Settings

Schools represent one of the most dynamic public environments when it comes to IT usage. Students, teachers, and administrative staff all rely on digital systems for communication, learning, and data management. Government IT ensures that these systems remain secure while still being accessible enough to support effective education.

Controlled access, secure logins, and network monitoring all contribute to safer digital spaces within schools. At the same time, reliable infrastructure ensures that online learning platforms and digital tools can be accessed without disruption. This balance allows schools to deliver modern education while maintaining strong safeguarding measures.

Supporting Healthcare Through Reliable IT Systems

In healthcare, secure IT systems are vital for managing sensitive patient information and ensuring the smooth delivery of care. Hospitals depend on digital tools for everything from appointment scheduling to real-time patient data access. Any failure in these systems can impact not only efficiency but also patient outcomes.

Government IT infrastructure helps ensure that healthcare environments remain secure, with strict access controls and data protection measures in place. At the same time, reliable systems support the fast-paced nature of healthcare, enabling professionals to access the information they need quickly and securely.

Connecting Public Services and Community Spaces

Beyond schools and hospitals, government IT plays a key role in supporting a wide range of community services. Libraries, council offices, and other public buildings often provide shared digital access points, making security and reliability even more important.

Integrated systems allow different departments to communicate more effectively, improving overall service delivery. Whether it’s processing applications, managing records, or providing public Wi-Fi access, a strong IT infrastructure ensures that these services are both efficient and secure.

Adapting to a More Digital Future

As digital transformation continues, government IT must evolve to meet increasing demands. This includes adopting new technologies, improving system integration, and ensuring infrastructure can scale as usage grows. Security will remain a central focus, particularly as cyber threats become more sophisticated.

Ultimately, effective government IT enables safe, reliable access to essential services across a wide range of environments. From classrooms to hospitals and beyond, it ensures that public services can continue to operate efficiently while protecting the people who rely on them.

People don’t often think of their smartphones as being a way that hackers can attack their personal information. This is not really the case, however, as phones become more and more like small computers that live in your pocket. As technology continues to evolve, it’s important to consider every device to be at risk.

Smartphones can do more and more things that computers can do and you will find that you have probably not considered the ways in which your phone might expose you to personal data security risks. Your smartphone has access to the internet, can be connected to public WIFI, and has access to most of your banking and personal data through apps. This makes it a very easy way to gain access to your online data that you would otherwise think was safe.

Even if you have your computers locked down really well, your cellphone might lead to a hacker being able to gain access to your personal information that would have been safe if your phone was locked down in a better way. If you want to learn more about making your smartphone more safe and secure, read on!

5 Tips for Making Smartphone More Safe and Secure

1.  Use a Password

You should always use a password or a lock sequence to lock your phone down. If you drop your phone or forget it somewhere, it is a huge risk to have it open to being used by anyone that picks it up. If you want to be sure that your phone is secure, even if it is lost somewhere.  Until you search to find it, you need to use the lock screen options that keep your phone secure from outsiders unlocking it.

Secure passwords and other kinds of lock combinations that can protect your phone will make sure that people cannot pick up your phone and access your data and other information if they pick up your phone. If you leave your phone at a friend’s house, drop it on public transit, or forget it in airport security, you will be able to be sure that your phone is safe if someone picks it up.

2.  Do Not Use Public Chargers

Public charging hubs can be the source of hacking attempts. Public ports can lead to hackers having access to your phone when it is plugged into the public hub. These hubs can transmit data and mine it, and you want to avoid this possible connection to data theft that you do not want to be exposed to.

Compromised power strips and other kinds of power outlets that are common use in public locations are always risky to use and you should consider if this is the best choice for your needs. You should always be able to find a wall plug-in if you need it, and you do not need to feel pressured to use these charging hubs if there is no obvious choice available. Make sure that you are not lured into using a public charging hub unless it is the direst situation.

3.  Use Two-Factor Authentication

You might originally be annoyed having to do these extra steps, but two-factor authentication can make sure that your phone is very safe from hacking. This process double-checks your access and identity to make sure that it is legitimate before you access your banking app among other things.

Two-factor security is becoming far more common and you should jump on board the security train that is offered by this process. You will just enter a code and your phone will verify that it is you who is accessing your personal information before allowing you to use your phone for access to apps. You can also use biometric information for this two-factor authentication process.

4.  Keep Your Phone Updated

Updates make sure that your phone’s security is up to date. Security patches make sure that your phone does not allow access to your data through common cyber threats and you will be much better protected if you use these updates as soon as they are made available. Skipping updates on your phone can lead to major issues with security as well as issues with performance.  If you smartphone isn’t working consider repairing it rather than throwing it away and getting a new one.

Your phone will usually offer you a security update at least once a month, but you should never assume that you do not need to take advantage of these updates when they are offered. It usually takes a few minutes to download a security patch and you do not have to feel like this is a big burden if you stay on top of these updates as they arrive.

5.  Avoid the Use of Public WIFI

Public WIFI is rife with risks and you should always turn off your public WIFI access when you do not need it for anything. WIFI access can expose your phone to many threats that you can avoid by simply turning off your WIFI when you do not need it. Public WIFI sources are always going to open your phone to risks that are better off avoided.

WIFI use can be necessary, but you should always limit your access to public WIFI sources that are not secured, particularly if you are traveling. There is no need to use a huge WIFI network like an airport or restaurant’s WIFI unless you really need WIFI for some reason. Phones these days have access to a network for your needs, so you should not feel pressured to use public WIFI for any reason.

If you do need to use public WIFI, make sure that you have a VPN that you can use for this access. A VPN will encrypt your connection and make it as safe and secure as if you were not using public WIFI. Forbes has rated and shortlisted VPN providers based on a criteria of options if you’re looking for a trusted VPN service.

Making Your Smartphone Secure is Easy

If you have been worrying about keeping your phone safe when you are using it on a daily basis you should use these tips and tricks to make sure that your phone is secure every day. You should never skip updates, always use good WIFI practices and avoid basic issues that can lead to cyberthreats and other kinds of hacking. If you make sure that your phone safety behaviors are on point, you will have good luck with your overall phone safety practices.

Keeping your phone safe is important to make sure that you do not fall prey to any of the common data theft and cybersecurity issues that can lead to personal identity issues and other problems for people.