BBB offers the following tips for a national day of cleaning your computer and a safer internet

Columbus, OH - We all share a lot of information when we use the Internet.

Our devices communicate with us and with each other to facilitate shopping, banking, travel arrangements and contact with friends. When you're online, it's important to protect your information to avoid fraud, fraud, and identity theft.

For National Computer Cleaning Day (February 10th) and National Safer Internet Day (February 11th), Better Business Bureau and National Cyber ​​Security Alliance offer the following tips to keep your important information secret. :

Share carefully. What you publish can last a lifetime. So think about who sees your posts and photos, what they look like and what information they reveal about you.

, Do you have your online presence? Set the privacy and security settings for web services and devices the way you want to share information. You can restrict how and with whom you share information.

Rate your personal information. Think of your personal information as money: appreciate it and protect it. Pay attention to the websites you visit and make sure you are on a legitimate website before entering personal information. Be especially careful with messages that prevent you from acting immediately, offer something that seems too good to be true, or ask for personal information.

Make your passwords long and secure. Use long passwords with a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols: eight characters for most accounts, twelve characters for email and financial accounts. Do not use the same password for multiple accounts, especially email and financial accounts. Keep a paper list of your passwords in a safe place, not on or near your computer. Consider using a password deposit program.

Block your connection. Use the most powerful authentication tools available for your online accounts. Your username and password are not enough. Consider two-factor authentication for important accounts such as email, banking, and social networks, especially for access to mobile devices.

Don't click on unknown links. Whether at home or at work, don't click on links from unknown sources or unexpected correspondence. A fake click can infect an entire computer or company.

Pay attention to your devices connected to the Internet. Smart thermostats, voice control systems, cars, and even refrigerators are just the beginning of the growing list of devices that monitor our home and track our location. Read the privacy policy and learn what data is collected and how it is used.

If you don't like personalized advertising, you can opt out. We've all come across these ads that follow us buying and exploring online. These ads are known as interest-based ads. Although some consumers like interest-based advertising because of the customization, you can opt out at www.aboutads.info/choices if that's not your thing.

, Look for the "S". If you're surfing the web or shopping online, use these tips to make sure the website you're visiting is legitimate. Then search for https: // in the top left corner of your web browser. This indicates that a website is protected by an additional encryption layer called Secured Hypertext Transfer Protocol.
When entering personal or financial information on a website, make sure https is present. And to learn more about this type of technology, visit https://www.bbb.org/bbbsecure.

Delete old applications. Is there a dating application that you downloaded last year that you no longer use, or an application that has given you new recipes that you no longer use? Even if you stop using them, these applications can collect data about how you use your device in the background. Confuse your life and remove old apps to protect your privacy.

Update your software. Software updates are important because, as technology advances, cybercriminals and attackers can better decrypt encryption and steal your data. Then when your phone or your desktop computer operating system prompts you to update your software, you should not fall asleep. Update your software to make sure your digital experience is safe.

Charities must also be aware of the confidentiality of the data. Donors and others communicate online with charities through their websites, emails, and other online media, and should understand current guidelines to address privacy concerns. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance has posted a blog post with tips for charities and donors on privacy issues.

To report a scam, go to the BBB Scam Tracker.

Visit bbb.org for more information on how to avoid fraud.

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