Home Security Basics

If you are going to be traveling for the holidays or even later on this year, don’t advertise your vacation! Do it afterwards. People don’t need to know your every move. It’s okay to share your trip later. Here are a few other security basics you should be aware of for the holidays and beyond:

 

• Alert your neighbors! Let someone know that you are going to be out of town. Exchange phone numbers and ask them to keep an eye out on your house.

• Hire a house sitter. Someone who can check in on your house once a day.

• Test your alarm. Make sure all systems are working. Also make sure your cameras are working properly and facing the right direction.

Here are some things you can do to deter burglars:

  1. Lock your doors and windows. May seem obvious, but a lot of people forget to check.
  2. Set an alarm and make sure your doorbell camera is secure and working.
  3. Don’t have packages delivered during this time. This will only invite potential thieves.
  4. Make sure it looks like someone is still home. Meaning, leave some lights on or put some lights on timers, so that they come on at the same time every day.
  5. Leave a radio on. They play music and talk, so it’s a great deterrent.
  6. Motion lights are also a great thing to put up.
  7. Trim your bushes. You don’t want to give anyone a place to hide.

Whether you are staying home or traveling, protecting your loved ones should always be the number one priority. Crimes can happen any time.

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Catfishing

Have you ever been suspicious about a person you are talking to online and think that they are not at all who they say they are? That maybe they are trying to lure you into a relationship, whether it be romantic or as a friend? That’s catfishing. The fish is a predator and is deceptive in nature. They create a false identity on a social media site and lure a victim into their world. They lead a victim to think they are talking to someone who might be the same age as them or even look a certain way — when it’s someone totally different. Someone awful who lies and is completely manipulative.

For example:

Recently in the news, a man in Virginia was reported to be communicating online with a teenage girl who lived in Riverside, California. The man was portraying himself to be a much younger age (17) than his actual age of 28. And it turns out this man was a former Virginia state trooper. He drove more than 2,000 miles to the girl’s house, where he murdered three of her family members and then set the house on fire. Thankfully some Sheriff Deputies tracked them down and the man was killed in a shootout.

This is a wake-up call for everyone and another horrific reminder that predators exist online.

Here are 7 signs that you are getting Catfished online:

  1. They won’t pick up a phone call.
  2. They are using someone else’s photos. You can typically find out if they are using someone else’s photos by doing a simple Google reverse image search.
  3. They make plans with you, but constantly cancel.
  4. They ask you for personal information, but don’t share personal things about themselves.
  5. They ask you for money.
  6. They seem to fall for you way too quickly. Something feels off.
  7. Everything just seems to good to be true.

Trust your instincts and know the warning signs, so that you can protect yourself. Be smarter than the perpetrator and never ever in any circumstance give out your personal private information!

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Look out for Charity Scams!

Whenever there is a natural disaster or humanitarian crisis, we all want to do our part to help affected communities recover. Here are some tips to help make sure your good deed and your dollars don’t get stolen.

 

 

TWO QUICK TIPS

• Only donate to charities that you know are legitimate.

• Avoid clicking on links on social media platforms or direct messages. Not all charity messages are legal.

HOW TO KNOW IF A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION IS LEGITIMATE

• Research! Visit the charity website, check sites such as GuideStar, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, and the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.

• Check the email address before you click. Most nonprofit websites end in .org NOT .com

• Never give out your social security number or bank account information. Nonprofit organizations won’t ask you for detailed personal information.

• Check the IRS website. They can reveal whether an organization is eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions.

Finally, avoid making donations through text messages or in cash. Use a secure service and remember to keep records of your contributions.

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Alarming Rise in CyberAttacks

According to experts, the first six months of 2022 were marked by a significant increase in cyberattacks. They ranged from hacktivism (hacking to promote a political agenda or social change) to terabit attacks (a multiple of the unity bit for digital information or computer storage). It can all be so mind boggling and confusing unless you are a tech savvy person.

What is a cyberattack anyway?
“A cyber attack is any offensive maneuver that targets computer information systems, computer networks, infrastructures, or personal computer devices.”
Wikipedia

What can a cyberattack do?
A cyber attack can completely disable, disrupt, destroy, and control a computer system. It can also alter, block, delete, manipulate, or steal the data that is held within these systems.

Who can launch a cyberattack?
Any individual or group can launch a cyber attack from anywhere. They are generally called cyber criminals.

What are the top threats to cyber security?
• Insider threats
• Weak passwords
• Phishing attacks
• Malware attacks
• Ransomware

Why are cyberattacks on the rise?
There is a lot of speculation about the cause of cyber attacks being on the rise. One known reason is simple human error. Another reason is because many companies are increasing their defenses against cyber threats. In doing so, they unfortunately put a target on their back.

What are 4 things you can do today to keep yourself cyber safe!

1. Implement multi-factor authentication on your accounts and make it significantly less likely you’ll get hacked.

2. Update your software

3. Think before you click. More than 90% of successful cyber-attacks start with a phishing email.

4. Use strong passwords.

https://www.cisa.gov/4-things-you-can-do-keep-yourself-cyber-safe

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Recruiting Female Officers

For years, the number of female police officers has been slow to increase versus their male counter parts. However, now, agencies are making a concerted effort to increase their sworn demographics.

 

Here tips for recruiting female officers:

  • Ensure equity
  • Decrease the emphasis on military preference.
  • Rethink shifts and reliance on “full-time” officers:
    • Change start and ending times and consider job sharing and part-time.
  • Implement strong policies against harassment and ensure there are strong policies prohibiting discrimination.
  • Create policies that support those raising children:
    • Allow nursing mothers – especially those on patrol – flexibility in their schedules to accommodate expressing breast milk in designated spaces.
  • Recruit at non-traditional events/locations
  • Participate in women and minority law enforcement associations

A department that is trying to create opportunities will want to set an example and do everything in its power to help women feel welcomed from all cultures.

[Police Magazine – June 2022]

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Things Cops Should Consider When Carrying Off Duty

For any officer looking to carry a concealed firearm while off duty, the first step is to check with your department regarding requirements and guidelines. They may or may not have any say in it. If they do, they might require you to use a similar weapon to your on-duty firearm, so that all of your training and qualifications can carry over to the same type of firearm. This will help develop familiarity. Not to mention the muscle memory that you automatically build up going to the range for training.


Questions to ask yourself:

  • What weapon should I carry?
  • Do I want a gun that’s thick or thin?
  • What holster should I use to secure it?
  • What amo should I use?
  • Where will I conceal my weapon?

No matter where you carry your concealed weapon, it should be easy to access yet easily secured as well. You want it to be comfortable, so that you want to carry it every day.

You also want to be able to draw that gun and react under pressure. The best way to get comfortable doing this is for an officer to commit ample time to train. Training is everything and you’ll be better for it in the end.

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Digital Money Fraud on the Rise

Digital money transfers. They’re convenient, easy, quick, and for the most part a safe way to send and receive money. In fact, most of us have either sent or received money via a wire transfer, Zelle, PayPal or Venmo. The one big caveat is that the funds can be hard to trace and recover, so it’s important to know exactly where you are sending the funds before you click ‘send.’

Five Safety Tips
1. Never wire money or do a digital wire transfer to anyone asking you to send money to yourself. It sounds odd, because it is.

2. Never send money to anyone claiming your account has been compromised.

3. Never send money to a stranger or a telemarketer who is trying to sell you something

4. Never allow remote access to your computer unless you are the one who has initiated contact to the company through a verified phone number or website.

5. Finally, setup 2 factor authentication on your digital devices, which is a more secure way to identify yourself. If you suspect that one of your accounts has been compromised, immediately change your password.

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Online Doctor Review Fraud

How many of you go online and look at reviews before you go to a new restaurant, hire a new hair stylist, get a pet groomer for your dog, or in this case, look for medical help like a doctor or dentist? Well, recent statistics report that at least 70% of us start with an online search. But beware – the five-star rating you see may not be what it appears.

Fake online doctor reviews are on the rise. Who knew that was a thing right!? It’s a sad reality. And even more frightening is the fact that doctors and offices are hiring people to write fake reviews, just so they can make more money.

The scope of the problem is massive and there seem to be a lot of Facebook groups who are devoted to buying, selling, and trading fake online positive reviews. It’s an open marketplace!
So, what makes these reviews suspicious? Yelp reviews have been found to be written by people using the exact same words, written by people in different cities, and written by the same people on different days.

Red Flags:
• If you read a review the keeps referring to the doctor as “she,” but the doctor is male.
• Look for identical reviews. Particularly, look past the stars and skim the text to see if the details make sense for that business.
• Beware of a large number of five-star reviews following a negative one

Other things to look for:
• Look for the section of reviews on Yelp that says “… reviews that are not currently recommended.” It lists one-star ratings first. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see it.
• Take the time to really look for a new medical professional and thoroughly read the reviews.

Last year Yelp closed 85,000 user accounts due to potentially fraudulent or abusive behavior. Maybe we should go back to the word-of-mouth method. Just ask a friend!

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Buyer Beware!

If it looks like a rat, smells like a rat, walks and talks like a rat – IT’S A RAT! Scammers are continuing to find new ways to target you in a more personal way. Now they are coming for you through text messages and posing as companies we trust, such as FedEx and UPS. Text messages and emails might look real, but are in fact fake.

The text messages say that you have a delivery coming, but that there is a problem with it. Scammers want you to call or click on the link embedded in the text. Once you click on the link, it takes you to a fake site and starts asking you for personal information (including your credit card). Once you input your card, it’s all over – they just got you and will steal your money.

Crooks are contacting consumers posing as the police, the IRS, your bank, the courts, even federal agents. The way they pray on honest hardworking people is sickening. Especially people over the age of 60. This group of individuals are being scammed more than any other age group. If you are in this age group or have a parent or grandparent in this age group, talk to them. Make sure they are aware of the dangers lurking on their cell phones.

3 things you can do to protect yourself:

  1. Stay away from free trial offers
  2. Look for grammatical errors in texts or emails
  3. Report scams! Contact the FTC at https://www.ftc.gov/
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Memorial Day Road Trip Safety Tips!

Despite rising gas prices, many families are getting back out on the road to travel for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Here are 5 quick tips to keep you safe on the road:
1. Before you get on the road, rest up! Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep the night before. That goes for the primary driver and anyone else that plans to pitch in driving as well.

2. Gas up. It’s better for your car if you are driving on a full tank of gas, and it will be better for you, so that you don’t have to make frequent stops to fill up.

3. Try to avoid cell phone distractions. It’s okay to use your phone for GPS maps and even taking phone calls (hands free), but turn off the alerts for text messages and social media. Give your undivided attention to the road.

4. Leave some space between you and the cars in front of you. Driving too close is an accident waiting to happen. Especially on the freeway. If someone is driving fast and wants to pass you, let them. Better to be safe!

5. Keep an emergency kit in the car. It should include a flashlight (with extra batteries), water bottle, bandages, and jumper cables.

Have fun, brings snacks, and play games along the way. Road trips make the best memories!

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