Data Privacy Day – Tips & Suggestions:

Data Privacy Day is today, and every year on January 28^th reminds us to review how our data is collected and used. This is an excellent opportunity to re-evaluate our own personal cybersecurity.

Data Privacy Day! ! !

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A Brief History:
Origination: The holiday is presented every year to broaden self-awareness of the facts in the matter that you privacy is at risk, every day. The day itself is a day that deserves some thinking through and time for reevaluating early on in the year while the year is young of steps that you can partake in in order to create more security and also obtain overall awareness of the facts in making sure that your data, that belongs to you directly, stays safe, secure and private.

Who: The Council in Europe first initiated a Data Privacy Day.

When: The year 2007. The original mission grew to a global platform over a series of years.

Induction to the U.S.: In 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives first recognized National Data Privacy Day. By the year 2011, the United States Senate later recognized Data Privacy Day. Since then, a vast array of groups and organizations continue supporting this observance on an annual basis.

Premise and Reasoning: Everyone needs their privacy secure. With every breach, every person is that much closer to risk. Every day of every year, our own personal data is collected, and used with and without our consent through a variety of means, including media and for other various and numerous reasons. Almost all of the time, people having access to our data, don’t even need it. To make matters worse, the information gets redistributed both legally and illegally. Thanks to the world wide web, massive amounts of personal data are collected and are easily redistributed. Information should never be compromised and left to the carelessness of privacy violations. People take privacy so seriously, that even vaccinated people absolutely, positively say “no” to sharing their own personal medical information–information that belongs between their own doctor and themselves; and not at the whim of being uploaded to the internet, succumbing to the possibility of being exposed to a hacker. I take these seriously to ensure that the information collected stays private, in all cases. Here are steps you can take to protect yourself.

Steps To Take and Review:
Existing devices: Run diagnostic programs (check the software, of course first, for credibility) on all your computers, WiFi, devices including your hard-drive and cell phones, and just about anything controlled over the WiFi to see if there are any leaks in you security. If you do not think that this is able to be tackled, there are cyber-security firms, and choose one wisely based on their credibility, to review you security. Anytime you have someone working on your security, always make sure that you change the passwords immediately after the cyber-security vulnerable items are addressed. Pick a day at least once a year if not a lot sooner, to reevaluate and reset your privacy settings, and keep them current. This includes new added applications, newly used social media, and programs.

New Devices: From now on, after today–any time you but a new device, always run diagnostics on the item before granting full access to your system, in order to make sure that they comply with the cyber-security level that you have attained–in order to make sure that you do not develop any leaks in security. Set your privacy settings immediately. This includes new applications, social media, and programs.

Other Steps to Ensure Constant Security: Here are more steps to make sure that your safety zone is no encroached upon:

• Get identity theft insurance (Lifelock, IdentityGuard, your insurance company…).
• Regular homeowners insurance never covers ID theft without a rider!
• Identity theft insurance doesn’t cover titled property! Consult your broker for options.
• Always use the latest virus protection and a good firewall.
• Never use public or insecure WiFi – especially for logging into banking or shopping.
• If you login to any source other than your own private WiFi – Change your password!
• Always use a strong, unforgettable password phrase.
• Set up two-tier or double authenticized login procedures whenever available!
• Save your passwords on your devices at your own risk!
• Check your bank and credit card statements on a regular and timed interval.
• If your accounts are compromised, issue stop payment on any fraudulent purchases.
• Also if your accounts are compromised – Change your password!
• If there is suspicious activity, cancel your card and have a new number issued.
• Always check your credit from all three credit reporting agencies a minimum of yearly.
• Keep all your software up to date, so that computers are not vulnerable to hackers.
• Make sure all programming has the latest patches applied.
• Have the latest update for cell phones applied as soon as it is available.
• If you have a website or page, always make sure all plugins are kept updated 
• Never give any personal information over the phone, email, or text.
• Don’t be fooled into being fooled with offers of credit vouchers or refunds.
• Be leary of taking online quizzes that ask random questions, and unknown offers.
• Be leary of being named a winner in a contest. Always know which offers you enter.
• Careful with political questionnaires–especially offers to match a donation.
• Polls about childhood and/or children compromise your privacy by too many unknowns.
• Polls about frequented places and schedules let it know when and where you may be.
• Polls about personal life give too much access to your critical information.
• Polls about tattoos grant accress in your preferences and may reach the wrong hands.
• Polls about marriages, including your own divulge serious amounts of info to others.
• Polls about pets give out too many clues about your personal preferences.
• Even senseless polls about favorite foods list too much information to strangers.
• Each time you compromise your privacy with bogus polls, strangers calculate your data.
• Strangers gathering personal information allows them to steal your data or identity.
• More. . .

Celebrated: January 28^th every year!

Steps To Ensure Privacy:

• Take steps to secure all your digital devices. Consult with each one for tips on their site.
• Make a commitment to learn how to protect yourself.
• Maintain tech-savvy answers that protect you today and in the long run.
• Share your input including tips, tricks, and experiences with others. Knowledge is power.
• Attend an information exchanges such as forums and seminars–learning about protection.
• For more tips on keeping your data safe, visit the National Cybersecurity Alliance.
• Use the hashtag #DataPrivacyDay to post or review on social media concerning data privacy issues.

Safety, Tips & Pointers For Safe Online Shopping:

Have fun shopping online, but never compromise your online cyber-safety and be careful and prepared! If you opt to go online here are some pointers:

• Always initiate the call, go to a reputable website directly from a online search. It is okay to have a Chrome extension or other browser extensions assist you in saving money, as long as you do investigating before using it as to the status of the company providing you with couponing, rebates or perks.
• Don’t ever do business with a solicitor. If you did not call, don’t think the call will help.
• Don’t let a caller scare you into losing out due to something expiring, to save you dollars, or any other tactic. Time loss can be used in a criminal’s favor against you as cues to save money can shift you into being vulnerable.
• If someone or a business is claiming that they have a deal that is going to be “the easy way” or sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t worth the words expressed. Nothing comes easy!
• NEVER enter your passwords via an email, text, phone call or other communication, unless YOU initiated the attempt to login, and the site is trustworthy.
• Don’t respond to emails from suspicious destinations. Always use emails from reputable stores, shops, known bloggers, and from personal recommendations or good online reviews at a reputable internet rating site.
• Never give vulnerable information over the internet unless the 🔒 symbol is in the browser bar. Also make sure that the internet destination is “https://???.com” NOT “http://???.com“. The “s” which is the 5^th letter on the browser bar stands for “secured“. If you do not see this, cease doing a transaction at that site as it is not safe divulging information as the hypertext needs to be secured through encryption or anyone can see your personal information being transferred over the internet, including on a router system near where your Wi-Fi is hooked.
• Make sure that you always use a secured and private connection, not a “public” or common connection when it comes to the Wi-Fi you are using. Your cell phone is secured and encrypted while using a carrier for the transaction, but if the Wi-Fi is activated, you must make sure that it is in the “OFF” position, unless you are at your home or on Wi-Fi that belongs to someone that you know to be trustworthy. Doing a transaction on a workplace’s Wi-Fi can be sketchy and your security can be compromised unless your workplace is self-employment.
• If you encounter any request to do business in a method that you do not feel comfortable to use, especially if a store wants you to obtain gift cards from a store that is NOT for the store you are shopping, hang up or cease the transaction immediately. Make sure that in any transaction you get screenshots, reference numbers or other identifying factors while completing your transaction.
• Never complete a transaction if the price that is in the cart does not match the price that started on the shopping page that put the item in your cart. If you plan on going back to the same store in the future, make sure you empty the cart, or the item could stay in the cart and be ordered by accident on a future date.

Safety, Tips & Pointers For Safe Online Shopping:

If you are ever party to being a victim of being compromised online or any cyber-crime, you can contact the following agencies:

• Your local police station if you are at any monetary loss online. If you use a credit card, you will need a report number to have any recourse to issue a claim, because they will need a police report number in order to initiate a claim.
• The Federal Trade Commission at FTC Complaint Assistant.
• The U.S. Postal Inspection Service if you received a check by mail or if the mail was used as a tool to facilitate the fraud.
• Your state or local consumer protection agencies. Visit  for a list of state Attorneys General.
• If you believe you have been scammed, and you don’t know who to call, the LIST: Who’s My Attorney General? or NAAG for a directory state-by-state and also other pertinent information of who you will need to get in touch with after you have been scammed.
• For online crimes involving cash, counterfeit checks and money orders, file an online complaint with the FBI: Internet Crime Complaint Center which is a joint project of both the FBI and National White Collar Crime Center.
• If it involves a check or draft, notifying the bank whose name is on the check or draft.
• Notify the website or online service where you encountered the scammer (Online auction website or a job posting website), so they can be blocked from utilizing their services to further the scamming in the future.
• If it involved counterfeiting or other bank related criminal activities, contact FDIC.gov or call the FDIC at 1-877-ASK-FDIC (1-877-275-3342).

The Present:
The current cyber-security conditions are more vulnerable than ever. Always be prepared for an attack!

The Future:
Cyber-crime is here to stay. Never become victim to offers convincing you to do a transaction. If it sound too good to be true, it probably is. I am there to help keep your money in your wallet and safe! Always be prepared. . .

FREEBIES & DEALS For Data Privacy Day:
💻 FREE List Of Apps:  Apps with Cyber Security
📀 FREE: Online Security Course: Free Cybersecurity Course
💽 FREE Online Cybersecurity Courses: Set of Free Cybersecurity Courses
📠 FREE: More Cyber Security Courses: Free Online Cybersecurity Courses

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Data Privacy Day…Be Aware!!