Your child can end up oversharing online without realizing it. This could be potentially dangerous as cybercriminals can use this information to steal their online identity and cause havoc in their real life.
According to LifeLock, “online ID theft occurs when someone steals your digital PII (personally identifiable information) using scams like planting malicious software on your computer”. Online identity theft can occur in a multitude of ways. This includes phishing, weak passwords and unsecure websites. Always ensure the website you’re visiting has “https:” as the prefix instead of “http:”.
Children can very easily fall for scams designed to steal your information. We’ve all received an email or an SMS stating we’ve won a prize or large sum of money. These messages usually come accompanied with a weblink. Never click on those links as they could download malicious software to your device, potentially sharing all your personal information with the hacker.
So, how can we prevent our children from becoming victims of online identity fraud?
Try to get involved in your child’s online life. Encourage them to think twice about the information they share on the internet. Discuss with them the information that should stay private and be clear about what shouldn’t be shared online, including their full names, phone numbers, email addresses and geographical information. Remind them that if they ever come across a stranger, whether it be online or in real life, they should never approach them or provide any personal information to them. It is advised that you sit with your child and go through the privacy settings on their social networks with them. Come to an agreement about what they share and with whom they share it with.
Online identity theft can be scary, but CyberSharp Protect virtually eliminates all possibility of this ever happening by constantly monitoring the information about you on the web and alerting you if anything seems suspicious. Protect yourself, your family and your business from cyber attacks with one cloud-based platform.