FORT CARSON, Colo. — Don’t put operations security (OPSEC) on vacay mode; Have vigilance all day, every day.
We all know when it comes to training, especially routine slide decks, it’s easy to get tired of seeing the same presentations or briefs. But what we can’t get tired of is being vigilant. In an OPSEC world that means keeping a process for protecting information, whether at work or home.
How can a person protect individual, family and organization information if they are unaware of what information needs protected or how vulnerable the information may be currently. Don’t put OPSEC on vacay mode. Cybercriminals are always looking at opportunities to gain information through phishing emails, text messages that contain links and fake websites.
Summer is just another opportunity for cybercriminals to hack into the lives of many. Here are a few scams to watch out for:
1. Scam summer event and concert tickets. Scammers may try to lure victims through fake websites, social media posts, emails or texts offering discounted tickets. Consumers are asked to pay for the tickets upfront, often through peer-to-peer payment apps. When you hit send, your money is gone but the tickets never materialize, and the seller disappears.
2. Phony travel websites. Fraudulent travel sites masquerade as legitimate sources. The sites often offer deals on flights, hotels or travel packages but the deals don’t exist in real life. The goal of the website is to is to get your payment and steal your information.
3. Vanishing vacation rentals. Vacation rental sites are immensely popular. Scammers may offer up properties on legitimate websites, but the properties either don’t exist or don’t belong to them. By the time you get to the rental, your money is already gone.
4. Fake vacation prizes. Scammers contact customers saying they’ve won a free trip, but they must pay a fee or cover taxes to claim prizes. Don’t do it!
Adhering to the following tips can help prevent you from falling for a scam:
- Check the URL of a website carefully before entering any information. The URL may look similar to legitimate websites but may have subtle differences.
- Be cautious of unexpected emails and text messages, especially if they instruct you to click a link. If you suspect there may be a problem, it’s safer to navigate directly to the actual website instead.
- Be skeptical of unrealistic offers, ads and deals because most likely they are scams.
Have vigilance all day, every day. Remember OPSEC.
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