The FBI out of Springfield is marking Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October by reminding the public to take extra precautions to protect against online attacks and scams. Illinois is 5th in the US with the most internet crime victims and 6th for total losses. Illinoisans reported over $150 million in losses according to theInternet Crime Complaint Center’s 2020 Internet Crime Report. Identity theft was the most common with non-payment/nondelivery crimes second. Business email compromise makes up the most for dollar losses.
Internet crimes are constantly evolving. The FBI in Springfield is asking for people to take steps to avoid becoming a victim. Use extreme caution in online communication. Verify the sender of an email. Criminals will often change just one letter in an email address to make it look official. Do not open any attachments unless you can verify the sender’s email address.
If you get an email or text asking you to update, check, or verify account information, do not follow the link provided. Go to the company’s website to log into your account or call the phone number listed on the website. Scrutinize all electronic requests for a payment or transfer of funds. Confirm requests for wire transfers or payment in person. Be extra cautious with any message that urges your immediate action.
One of the most widely used schemes involves government impersonators. Criminals are reaching out to people through social media, emails, or phone calls pretending to be from the government. The scammers attempt to gather personal information or get money through threats. The FBI is asking you to not give out your personal information to unknown sources, set your devices, software, and apps to update automatically, and to use passwords, passphrases, and multi-factor authentication whenever possible.
If you have been the victim of a crime you can report it to the FBI through the Internet Crime Complaint Center The FBI also has a cyber page and scams and safety precautions page that you can visit through this story here.
