Protect yourself against scams and fraud

How to protect yourself

• Don’t share too much information online

  Don’t give out too much personal information online, particularly on social media. Put privacy settings on your social media accounts and don’t add too many personal details to your profile.

  If a friend asks you for money on social media, call or email them to confirm their request is legitimate — don’t pay without checking first.

  Staying safe on social media

  How to protect your privacy online

• Use two-factor authentication (2FA)

  Turn on 2FA for all your online accounts to add an extra layer of security.

  Use two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect your accounts

• Create good passwords

  Use strong, long and unique passwords on your online accounts. That way if the password for one of your accounts is leaked you’ll only need to update that one account – your other accounts will still be safe.

  You can also use a password manager to help keep your accounts safe.

  How to create a good password

  Keep your data safe with a password manager

• Don’t click on unusual or unexpected links

  Don’t click on web links sent by someone you don’t know, or that seem out of character for someone you do know. If you’re not sure about something, contact the person you think might have sent it to check first.

• Keep an eye on invoices

  Don’t pay invoices for any goods or services that you didn’t ask for or receive, and be wary if a company you often deal with changes their account payment details unexpectedly. If you’re unsure about an invoice, call the business directly to check the details before you pay.

  Above all, try to remember that if something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.