October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Beware of phone and email scams

Warning: There are bad actors out there who use phone calls, text messages, email and websites to steal your personal information and money. 

Scammers often disguise themselves as organizations you trust. They claim to represent an organization you do business with and can even make the phone number look real on your caller ID, called spoofing.

Websites and emails can also be disguised to look legit and trick you into revealing sensitive information or clicking on harmful links.

The most common scam claims your bill is past due and threatens to disconnect your service if payment isn't received immediately. Another scam claims you've overpaid and will receive a refund. Some misleading websites take you to a third-party payment site and will charge you a fee to make your payment for you.

Messages try to get you to click before you think by playing on your emotions, such as, You've won our sweepstakes! or You've been hacked!

Below are tips to protect your information and money from cybercriminals: 

> Be skeptical of unexpected phone and email messages, especially those urging immediate action or asking for personal details. 

> Always verify you are speaking with your service provider. If you receive an unexpected or suspicious call or email, hang up, delete the text or email and call the organization directly using phone number on your statement.

> Do not provide immediate payment or personal information by phone or email. 

> Do not click on suspicious links or open unexpected attachments.

> When visiting a website, always confirm the URL is correct and not a scam website. Before you click on an email, always check the address in the from line.

> If you are a Polk-Burnett member, use SmartHub! It's a safe, convenient way to pay your electric bill, track energy use and report outages.

The best way to prevent phone and email fraud is to shine a light on scams. Please help spread this caution to your friends and family. 

Bonus Tips
1. Use long, unique, complex passwords. 
2. Don't reuse passwords. Every account needs a  unique password.
3. Use a password manager to generate and store strong passwords. If you prefer to keep a password notebook, treat it like cash and keep it safe!
4. Enable multifactor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security to your login. This could be a one-time code sent to your phone.
5. Keep software, apps and devices updated. Updates often fix security flaws that criminals exploit.