Your Holiday Safety and Security Online



Your safety and security, over the Holidays, is paramount to everyone at the Troup County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Donny Turner points out that your first line of defense in protecting your livelihood this Holiday Season is “Understanding the risk”!

More than 10 million people per year become the victim of Identity Theft, according to the FBI. That number is astounding! You should consider that every time you fill out an online application, make an online purchase or join a social media website. There are other ways of falsely claiming another’s identity, but those methods are the fastest growing means. Keep that in mind following “Black Friday”. More American’s will be online shopping during “Cyber Monday” than, perhaps, any other time of the year!

Prepare ahead!:

1.      Know the websites that you will be visiting are secure! Shop only the online places that you are familiar with (i.e. Best Buy, eBay, Overstock.com, etc.).

2.      Avoid clicking links sent to you in a mass email. These can be deceptive, by guiding you to another hyperlink which is embedded into the wording for a familiar website. The link may indicate one web address, but take you to another (hacker’s/spyware) website.

3.      Secure your passwords – A good password cannot be easily guessed (i.e. child’s name, your birth date, your favorite sports team, or any other based on personal information and interests). Throw in upper and lowercase letters with numbers and/or punctuation to confound those who may try to guess your password… And, don’t use the same password twice.

4.      As you get ready to check out/make a purchase from a website, make sure the “http” in your browser changes to an “https” - this will let you know the website is encrypting your information. Look for the little lock in the bottom right hand corner of your browser and click on it to make sure that the security certificate installed on the website actually belongs to the store at which you are shopping.

5.      Ensure that your PC’s firewall is “On” and that your operating system (i.e. Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, etc.) is set to automatically install necessary updates. If you have an anti-virus program, check to see that it is also up-to-date.

6.      Keep an eye on your banking statements. Guard your personal information when conducting business transactions online. Remember, once the “Send”/“Submit” button has been clicked, you cannot take it back! If anything appears suspicious, don’t hesitate to check up on it. Then, follow up by notifying 911 to have a TCSO Deputy (or Law Enforcement Agency in your jurisdiction) arrive to make a report for alleged criminal activity.

7.      Log Off, or shut down, your computer when you are not using it.

8.      Most importantly – it may sound a bit cliché, but – If an offer sounds too good to be true… Then, most likely, it is a hoax used to gain your personal & financial identity!