Some scammers posing as a legitimate company, government agency, senior manager, family member or other trusted source will ask you to purchase gift cards and send them the code in exchange for something. This could be a new job, tax benefits, lotteries or to help a good cause. However, there are no circumstances in which […]

Data cleanup tools can help your computer run smoothly and prevent it from picking up harmful or unnecessary files, such as trackers. They can also clean out your personal data, such as your internet history, to reduce the risk of it falling into the wrong hands. Free tools will generally get the job done, but […]

Usually, whenever technical help is required, you are the one to reach out to the company, not the other way around. However, this is commonly used in many scams. Somebody may call or email you and ask you to complete some action, such as giving out your Social Security number or account login details. Never […]

Fighting back is only likely to make the bully ramp up the situation. Depending on what’s going on, you might want to try ignoring them instead. A lot of times, the cyberbully just lives for the reaction they get from their target. You can also take subtle steps, like blocking messages on social media or […]

Redundancy comes in many forms: Battery backup, redundant internet connections and data backup, to name a few. Use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) so you’re protected in case of a brownout, consider redundant internet connections if your area is vulnerable to outages and back up your data frequently. Doing all of this can help prevent […]

PINs are a useful layer of security that ensures only authorized users can use your computer. You can customize when a PIN is needed — you may only want a PIN to appear at startup, for example — but it’s a good idea to at least require one both at startup and when your computer […]