Be Ever Vigilant

Unfortunately, there are bad people out there. I met a couple today when “Amazon” called me. I’ll admit to being naive. I am, by nature, very trusting. In our current world, that can definitely be detrimental.

I stupidly gave out too much information and luckily did not have enough money on either of my cards to cover what they tried to charge me. I eventually became suspicious and asked for a number to call back. I was put on hold for what seemed like forever, until finally there was a click and a busy signal. Yeah. He hung up.

So, to avoid this, you should do the following:

1. Always ask to have a number to call back. Tell them that now is not a good time, and you will need to return their call. Any real company will have a number where they can be reached.
2. Never give out any personal information, including credit card/debit card numbers (or any parts thereof), CVV numbers on the back of said debit/credit cards, social security numbers, etc.
3. Never give anyone that you have not called yourself, access to your devices including computers, phones, etc.
4. Be suspicious of anything that has to be done instantaneously. No reputable company will need you to move that quickly.
5. When in doubt, cancel all cards and ask your bank(s) to issue new ones. You can never be too safe.
6. And finally, make sure your devices are protected. I recommend the free AVG for your phone and computer. It’s easy to install and it offers good protection.

Be smart and be safe and I hope you voted!!!

God bless,

Rita