Cybersecurity for Your Family

Cybersecurity is Everyone's Business

Like civil defense, cybersecurity is everyone's business and is especially critical for families.

Protection from cyberattacks is no longer just the business of the government or experts. It is a fundamental responsibility of every American family.

You must know how to defend against social engineering ruses, phishing attacks in all their variations, cell phone calls from cybercriminals, and other cyber threats. 

More importantly, you must train your children and grandchildren in the tools they need to deflect and defeat and triumph over these real-world threats to their freedom.

Daily, small businesses and average Americans are being fleeced out of money by cybercriminals. 

Some of these operate on their own. 

Some are employed by their governments like the Communist Chinese Party (CCP) 50 Cent Army. 

And some cybercriminals act on their own and with their governments approval to steel money, intellectual property, property like home titles, reputations, and other goods and services from Americans.

WWIII has already begun, but it is not being fought with tanks and ships. Rather, it is a battle of 1's and 0's being waged over fiber optic lines worldwide.

I have already addressed state-sponsored hackers in my civil defense blog post When State Hackers Take Aim at the Power Grid.

Here, I will analyze what you can do when criminals and hackers strike at you and your family. 

Why? Because our mastery of cybersecurity will determine if our children and grandchildren are free or slaves.

Predator Cybercriminals Prey on Americans Daily

Everyday, Americans are fleeced out of millions of dollars by predator cybercriminals, mostly foreigners.

What you read in the media of cybercriminals stealing millions from Americans is the tip of the iceberg. The issue is much bigger as most companies, and individual Americans, are so ashamed to have fallen for a grift they do not report it to law enforcement.

And even if they do report it to law enforcement, local law enforcement does not have the resources to investigate it. And national law enforcement knows that most cybercriminals are overseas and, therefore, the reality is that 99.9% of them will never be caught or prosecuted.

You are on your own.

So you need to learn to identify cybercriminals when they attempt to manipulate you to gain access to your credit card, money, bank account, or data. 

How to Protect Your Data and Money from Cybercriminal Cell Phone Calls

There are many variations on this attack, but it goes something like this.

Out of the blue, you get a call. It is not from family or friends or anyone you know. On the other end, someone identifies themselves as a representative from Microsoft and says your computer has been hacked and they need to take over your system to help protect your data.

Or you get a call and a cybercriminal claims they are the police and your grandchild needs $1,000 bail or they will spend the night in jail.

Americans are a good, honest, and trusting people. This is a character trait that is exploited by the predator criminals.

So they will bait with something clever like, "I am calling from your bank because there has been unusual activity on your account."

When you get these calls, hang up.

They have a more sophisticated way to get your data and money than any door-to-door salesman you would turn away.

They are trained.

They are skilled.

They are clever.

They are devious.

They will manipulate you.

Do not allow them to have access to you or your thoughts.

Much as you think you would not fall for their scams, they are professionals at grifting and will fleece you out of your assets.

I have known multiple cases of very wealthy and successful people who have been fleeced by these cybercriminals.

Like them, you will not even realize it until after you are robbed.

Check your Bank Accounts for Unusual Activity

The most common grift for cybercriminals is that they will gain access to your credit card or checking account and try to run a $9.99 or some other small amount to see if it clears.

If it does, they return and clean out your account.

I had this happen 3 months in a row with 3 different debit cards.

The cybercriminal would try to put through small $9.99 charges on my debit card. When I noticed them as they were for gaming sites and I do not game, I contacted my bank and got a new card.

But the scumbag was able to access the next 2 cards.

How?

Neither I nor my bank could find out.

But this is a common scam and one you can prevent by closely monitoring your checking, savings, debit and credit accounts for unusual charges or activity.

True, your bank can identify certain unusual activities, but not all.

You are on your own.

Practice Zero Trust

Only answer your cell phone if you know the number or person calling.

If you do not recognize the number, do not answer.

If the person calling is legitimate, like a call from a doctor's office, they will leave a message.

Dishonest cybercriminals, for the most part, will not leave a message.

They will simply move on to the next mark.

Americans are a good, intelligent, honest, and trusting people.

This is not true of much of the world.

Here is an example.

I have given out 5,000 TACDA.ORG (The American Civil Defense Association) business cards in the past 3 years.

Mostly, I identify Moms with children (often at Mass on Sunday) and small business owners and workers (plumbers, electricians, painters, HVAC repairman, telephone and fiber line repairman, construction workers, truck drivers, sales clerks, policeman, fireman, and many others.

I approach them and say, "I am a civil defense volunteer with the American Civil Defense Association. 

The information on this card will help keep you and your family safe from natural and manmade disasters. Please spread the word to other Americans."

Of the 5,000 Americans I have approached, only 2 have refused to take my card.

Why?

Because American's are good, intelligent, honest, and trusting people.

And they know I am only trying to help them and my family.

I do not identify a mark to use to commit a crime.

American's know that, trust me, and take the card as they know it is of benefit to them and their families to keep them safe.

Not so with foreign cybercriminals. 

Treat them like they are a disease and avoid everything about them, including their sales pitch.

Beware the Tag Team

Some cybercriminals practice a very sophisticated tag team methodology.

Here is one of many scenarios they use.

One foreign cybercriminal calls and states that you have been identified as spending money on child pornography by the FBI due to charges on your bank account.

When you laugh at them and say that is impossible, they will ask you to hold and claim a representative of your bank is on the other line and they will patch you through to them.

Another perp will come on the line and state he is a representative from your bank and that there are, indeed, payments on your account paying for child porn.

He will identify your bank and explain that he needs to take control of your computer and review your account for unusual activity.

Then another perp will come on and announce that he wants to work with you to keep the remaining amount in your account safe.

He will ask you to withdraw it to protect it and go to a crypto ATM to transfer it back to the bank.

There are many variations on this scenario, but it is a technique they use to convince honest Americans to empty their bank account.

Hang up before they get to the team tag.

You are on your Own

You must be aware of cybercriminal threats and attacks.

They are endless.

Once a cybercriminal steals your data or money, they will not be identified or prosecuted as they are safe overseas.

So, learn what you need to do to protect yourself.

There are many resources to help you learn what to do.

Here is one.

Scott E. Augenbaum's Welcome to the SyberSecure Mindset Challenge Movement to keep your family safe.