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SALT LAKE CITY -- If you have an email or social networking account, chances are you have been a victim of hacking or a recipient of a hacked account.
"Last year was a big email and Facebook hacking year. I can’t even count how many emails I got from friends with a link to some scam website after their email was hacked," said Jane Driggs, president of the Utah Chapter Better Business Bureau.
If your email or social networking account has been hacked, the first thing you should do is change your password: "When I go out and do speeches to folks in Utah I tell them to always use letters, numbers and symbols," said Driggs.
A password with a combination of letters and numbers lowers your risk of getting hacked.
In addition to changing your password, report the incident to your email or social networking provider. This enables the provider to warn other users and shut down the hacker swiftly.
Last year was a big email and Facebook hacking year. I can't even count how many emails I got from friends with a link to some scam website after their email was hacked.
–- Jane Driggs, president, Utah Chapter Better Business Bureau.
In extreme cases, delete your account.
"There are a lot of stories out there from folks who have long drawn out issues with getting their email back , so they just switch to another email address, hopefully with better password protection," said Driggs.
Unfortunately, in our digital world, hacking is the enemy that won't go away. Driggs offers these tips to keep your email and social networking accounts secure:
1. Use letters, numbers and symbols in your password. For example: gorbt396#.
2. Never “friend” someone you don’t know, as this could be an invitation to a virus!
3. Don’t post personally identifiable information on your social networking page and then use it in your password (for example, your birthday)
4. Change your password at least every three months.
5. Don’t click on links in emails or postings that you are not familiar with, you could be setting yourself up for a virus.
6. Never, ever tell your password to anyone.
7. Don’t remain logged into your email or social networking site if you walk away from your phone, tablet or computer.
Tequitia Andrews has written about parenting and family issues for several newspapers, magazines, and websites.
