There is no doubt that scams, data theft and Internet fraud are all on the increase. However, this article is not to create more fear and panic about it but rather to give advice on how to stay safe online.
Advice from local computer and Internet security specialists MCC Computers
MCC Computers in Galgorm have been in the IT business for over 20 years. Over these years their clients include many home computer users as well as businesses, churches and organisations. They say,
“We take online security very seriously and work with world-leading companies to ensure the best level of protection for our clients. Our door is always open to anyone who feels their data may have been breached online and would like some professional help. We have a dedicated and caring team to help advise and where necessary put in place appropriate steps to resolve any issues, remove possible threats and provide online security.”
Who is at risk?
Studies show that older people are particularly at risk from scammers and fraudsters.
‘Fraudsters scammed nearly 49,000 older people across the UK in the past year.’ (Source – BBC News report from September 2018)
Of course it’s not only older people who are targeted as all of us who own a computer know. There is a continual stream of scam emails, links sent from Facebook hackers, banking scams and more – the list goes on. The good news is there is helpful and useful material available to help you spot a scam or fraud. MCC Computers wrote a very useful article which you can read here focusing on how to check if an email or website is legitimate as well as some good practice for using the Internet. There is also the NI Direct government website Scamwise NI which lists lots of the latest scams and frauds likely to catch you out. As they say ‘if you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam’.
Practical steps you can take to stay safe online
- Be careful who you hand your computer to – who has access to your login details and passwords? Check out a recent MCC Computers article on the subject here.
- Adequate Internet security – every computer should have robust Internet security installed and updated annually. Free downloads will just not cut it!
- An annual computer service is also a wise choice. MCC Computers offer this and partner with world-leading Avast Internet security to provide their clients with state-of-the-art security. A small annual investment in this goes a long way to keeping your system protected and you safer online. If you’re not sure if you have adequate Internet security software installed on your devices then give MCC a call. They will be happy to check, advise and resolve any issues with your computer or laptop.
You can check all the services offered by MCC Computers at their Galgorm premises on their website here. Their phone number is 028 2563 8888.