How You Can Keep Safe

Protecting Yourself

If like most of us, you tend to do a lot of your shopping, make transactions or pay bills online it is important that you are aware of the ways you can protect yourself and your money!

Device Protection

Always ensure that your device is running with the latest and supported software, as software becomes old or unsupported it is easier for hackers to find their way in through weak spots and loopholes..

Ensure that if you transact online you have antivirus software installed to spot and stop malicious entry onto your device and to check downloads for new viruses.

Protect your device with a password or passcode that is not easily guessed. Avoid obvious passcodes like 1234 and use complex passwords that include, letters, numbers and other characters. ALWAYS keep passwords and pass codes secret.

If you can, use two factor or multi factor authentication (2FA or MFA) – most websites with accounts will provide this facility, this means that when you submit a password it will pass you a one-time code to use by email, SMS or via an app for access to your account.

Don’t Get Led Astray

Take care when using social media not to click on images, videos or links that may lead you somewhere you don’t want to go. When social content is shared with you, it may contain malware!

Be aware that downloads or links can download viruses onto your device!!! This includes downloaded apps – always make sure that you only download apps from reputable app stores like google play or apple store.

Phishing (scam) Emails and Messages

Scammers often update their tactics, but there are some signs that will help you recognize a phishing email or text message.

Phishing emails and text messages may look like they’re from a company you know or trust. However here are some things to look for:

  1. Translink or any reputable business will not ask you to provide or confirm personal information by text, over the phone or by email! If you are being asked to provide this information, especially out of the blue, it should ring alarm bells!

  2. Check the domain name – Just because your inbox tells you that you have received an email from Translink or A.N. OTHER. business it might not necessarily be a legitimate email, Our domains names are translink.co.uk or translink@mail.etelligent.co.uk. Click on the sender name and check the domain name. This will tell you if the email has come from Translink or not! Be careful of poor substitute names like Translink_365@gmail.com etc. Also check that the email or web address relates to the sender! translink.co.uk won’t send you emails on behalf of other providers like a bank or utility company and they won’t send you emails about public transport transactions or accounts!

  3. Be wary of unsolicited emails that ask you to act now, want you to click on a link to make a payment or create a sense of impending doom!! e.g. ‘your account will be deleted if you don’t confirm your log-in' or ‘your latest payment with us failed’- fraudsters like to create panic as you are less likely to stop and think before you act.

  4. Unexpected emails that have an attachment...Attachments are often a way for a malicious imposter to gain access to install malware or to steal your information!

  5. Poor spelling and Grammar: look out for broken English or misspellings, often hackers come from other countries where English isn’t there first language and content may appear to be ‘translated’ into English.

Please remember, you should never click on any links or call a phone number in unexpected emails or texts, even if they look genuine.

Contact Us
Please get in touch if you have any concerns or questions about security

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