How to Create Good Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Plans

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We generally have no idea when a disaster is coming, and even if we do have a heads up, it’s very possible that things are going to go wrong.

How to Create Good Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery PlansThis is where a business continuity plan comes into play for you. What does it do? It is a plan that helps your company get through a disaster. Disaster could mean a natural disaster as in mother nature makes a mess of things, it could also mean fire or flood and it could mean a significant security incident that takes down all systems.

What Does Business Continuity Mean?  

Business continuity, commonly shortened to BC, typically refers to a plan that helps your business function as soon as possible following a disaster. Again, this could be a flood, a fire, or a cyber-attack, amongst other things. With this type of plan in place, you can look to it for specifics when these things occur.

Some people believe that a DR plan, or a disaster recovery plan, is exactly like a business continuity plan, but that’s not true. A disaster recovery plan specifically focuses on IT, and it is actually a part of a full business continuity plan.

Consider your own company. Do you have a plan that would allow you to get your sales up and running? Do you have customer service ready to go if you had a flood? Could you keep handling customer requests if you lost your company to a fire? All of this is part of a BC plan.

Why Your BC Plan is Important  

It doesn’t matter if your business is small or large, you have to remain competitive in the market. It is important that you keep your current customers engaged while also bringing in new ones.

Ensuring that your IT capabilities are up and running is extremely important, and there are many solutions available. You can rely on your IT team for this, but what about the rest of your business functions? The future of your business greatly depends on how quickly you can get back to normal, and if you don’t, you could see your customers leaving in droves.

Your business might also experience losses including financial losses, legal losses, and of course, the loss of your company’s reputation.

The Important Parts of a BC Plan 

If your company doesn’t have a BC plan, you should start by taking a close look at all of your business processes. Look for areas of vulnerability and try to determine what your losses might be if you lose functions in those areas for a day, a few days, a week, or more.

Next you should start creating a course of action. Here, are there six steps that you should take:

1.   Identify what you want to do with the BC plan

2.   Choose areas that you want to focus on

3.   Determine the most critical functions

4.   Look for areas and functions that are dependent on others

5.   Calculate how much downtime is acceptable for any functions that are critical

6.   Create a plan to keep your business open and working as much as possible

One of the best tools that you can have when creating a BC plan is a checklist that includes your supplies and equipment, the location of backups, who should have access to the plan, and a list of contact information for important people, emergency contacts, and backup providers.

Keep in mind that a DR plan is only a part of a full BC plan, do if you don’t have a DR plan in place, this is a great time to make one. Resources that may assist in a DR plan may involve your inhouse IT people, a Virtual CISO or a Managed Service Provider or MSP. If you do have a DR plan, don’t just assume that it will work with your new BC plan. You must make sure they both fit together.

As you begin to create this plan, consider meeting with others who have gone through a disaster and used a BC plan. They can give you a lot of information and share what worked and what didn’t.

Test Out Your BC Plan 

It is imperative that you ensure your plan works before disaster hits, and the only way to do this is to give it a try. The best thing, of course, is a real disaster, but you can also create a “fake disaster” in order to test it out.

You need to make sure that your BC plan is complete, and that it meets your needs in case there is a disaster. You don’t want to take an easy way out, though. Any test should fully challenge your plan, too. Additionally, you must make sure that everything is measured. If you just try to skate by, your plan will be weak, and you could run into issues if a disaster strikes.

It is recommended that you plan on testing your BC plan a couple of times a year, especially if there are potential changes to the plan, like new equipment or staff. Doing things such as simulations or walk throughs can help your team practice and make sure they are ready in case a disaster hits.

Review and Improve Your BC Plan…Always  

The effort you put into testing your business continuity plan cannot be stressed enough. Once this is done, some organizations let it go and focus on other things, but this can quickly lead you to trouble.

Things are changing all the time with both technology and personnel, so it is important that your plan is always up to date to reflect that. This means, that it is a good idea to at least once a year to review your plan with your staff and point out areas that might need to be updated. Additionally, you may want to get staff feedback, which you can ultimately add to the plan.

Ensuring Your BC Plan Will Work 

By taking a casual approach towards creating this plan, the odds are good that it will fail. Every business continuity plan has to have the support of all staff, including senior management, who must take on a very active role in supporting the plan.  On top of this, a plan like this has higher odds of success when management makes it a priority.

Finally, it is extremely important that senior members of staff promote user awareness of this type of plan. After all, if your team doesn’t know about it, and at least a few details about it, how are they supposed to act on it when a disaster strikes? Training and distributing the plan is important, too, so think about working with your human resources team to make sure that all of your staff is aware of the plan and what is in it. This way, your staff knows that it is important, and they can see it as an important part of your business.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Use Caution When Closing on Your New Home

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It’s Realtor Safety Month. Real estate agents and their clients are targeted by violent criminals and cyber thieves. Statistically, tens of thousands of real estate agents are subjected to violence annually. Wire fraud, where a homebuyer’s email or real estate agent’s email is hacked, lose millions in various mortgage fraud closing scams. Studies show on average, Americans buy 3 to 5 homes in their lifetime. Chances are, you’re going to be engaged in some form of a real estate transaction in the next 5-10 years. There are a few things to know.

Think about this for a minute: You have been working hard and stocking money away, and you have finally found your dream home. The loan goes through, you wire the money to the bank or title company, and you think all is well. You go to sign the final paperwork and your heart falls out of your chest…they tell you that they never received the money, but you sent it. What happened? You were the victim of a real estate scam.

Real estate scams are more common than you probably think, and they often involve phishing. The scammers can take over the email address of the Realtor, the buyer, the title company, etc, and it is happening much more than ever before. In fact, it’s so common that buyers are losing millions of dollars each year.

When a hacker takes control of the email address of a real estate agent or a title company, they can then send very official-looking emails to people asking them to wire money for their new home to a specific bank account. However, what these buyers don’t realize is that the money goes to a different bank account…one that belongs to the hacker. By the time the scam is discovered, the money is long gone.

Sadly, this scam is getting more and more common, and it has happened to thousands of people trying to buy homes. One of the issues is that the real estate industry, as a whole, doesn’t really pay as much attention to security as it should. Though there are things like encryption, the real estate industry, including real estate agents, use a lot of free accounts and unprotected methods of communication. On top of this, Realtors and title agents are always on the move, so they use a lot of public Wi-Fi to access their accounts. This is essentially like inviting the hackers in.

Stopping Scams During Real Estate Closings

If you are looking to buy a house, you definitely should make sure that you are taking the right steps to prevent scams like these. Here are some things that you should do:

  • Don’t use email as the only way to set up your financial transactions. Use the phone, make a call, and confirm all of the transactions that are occurring.
  • You should have everything in writing, and then double-check all of this. Make sure you are using some type of system such as meeting the Realtor or title company in person or via video chat.
  • If you get directions to wire money, contact the company first to make sure that it’s legitimate. Don’t email them and ask them to call, however. Why? Because you could simply be emailing the hacker.
  • Also, make sure you confirm via phone with the title company, bank, and real estate agent about any money transfer.
  • Verify all transfers as soon as you can. If you believe you have sent money to a scammer, immediately call the bank. They may be able to freeze the money.
  • Ask the people you are working with about their email. Is it secure? How do they know? Do they use encryption and two-factor authentication? Are they using strong passwords?
  • You can also ask if they have a “forwarding email” set in their settings. Even if they say no, make sure they check. Many people who are victims of this don’t even realize that their emails are being forwarded to hackers.
  • Do they know if people are logging into their email from other locations?
  • Ask them to enter their email address at the Protect Now FREE Email Checker to see if their email has been compromised in a data breach You can also check their email address right on the site. Then, if you find the email address in vulnerable, you can tell them, and they can take the appropriate steps.

Remember, you should never assume that anyone, including yourself, is totally secure during any type of real estate transaction. You should not take for granted that the Realtor has someone in their home, such as their child, who could be using the same computer for gaming, and it is filled with spyware.

Buying a home is typically the biggest financial transaction that people ever do, and if you fall victim to a scam like this, you can easily be ruined, financially. Be aware, cover your bases, and be annoying if you must; you should always insist on a secure transaction when buying a home.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Cybercrime and ALMOST EVERYTHING You Need To Protect Yourself

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One of the most lucrative illegal business ventures out there is cybercrime, and there are no signs that it is slowing down anytime soon. Over the past 10 years, the “bad guys” have created new and highly sophisticated methods of capitalizing on users of the internet, and the odds are that they will simply not be caught. At the same time, consumers are facing more risk than ever before.

Why is Cybercrime so Dangerous and Can You Be Safer?  

If you are a service professional like me who “puts it out there” I’m sorry to inform you that we are at high risk of becoming a victim of cybercrime. Most of us have gotten phishing emails from people asking for something; many of us have websites that contain a lot of personal info and it is very easy to find our social media pages. Not only is this enough to scam us, it is also enough to scam our clients. You can also add the dangers that traveling puts us into thanks to risky public Wi-Fi. Fortunately, there are some things that you can do to keep yourself safer.

Social Media Risks 

Anyone who uses social media is at risk of becoming a victim of a criminal hacker. It’s pretty dangerous, but I have some good advice. I do training and conferences all of the time, and one of the things I recently told a group of our US Army soldiers is this; “Do not post anything online that you would not tell the enemy.”

It’s that simple.

Afterall, you never know who is paying attention. Do you remember the “Bling Ring?” This was when those teenagers broke into the homes of celebrities like Orlando Bloom and Paris Hilton a number of times. They stole jewelry, clothes, watches, and more…and the teens knew about it because these celebs were posting the items on social media accounts.

Protecting Yourself from Spyware and Viruses  

Here are some tips that you can use to protect yourself from spyware and viruses:

  •  Consider using a safe search web browsing software that is often found in full versions of antivirus software. This helps to alert you of potentially malicious sites by showing a red, yellow, or green dot next to the links on the search engine. Green dots are safe, yellow dots show you should use caution, and red dots…those have some sketchy reports, so be careful.
  • Don’t download any file that doesn’t come from a safe site, and never download a torrent file or software crack. These almost always have spyware.
  • Don’t click on any pop-up window that you are not expecting. Instead, close the window or get out of your browser.
  • Make sure that you are updating your OS’s security patches and always have the latest version of your web browser installed.

Understanding Social Engineering 

Have you heard of social engineering? It is the act of manipulating others into doing certain actions or giving information. Generally, it applies to some type of deception for the purpose of collecting information to commit fraud or gain access to a computer. In most situations, the cybercriminal will never meet or come in contact with their victims, so you must always use caution.

Some Things are Safe, But Some are Not 

It is quite important that you recognize that most people aren’t out to get you; but guess what? Some of them are. This means that you have to realize that some emails you get are not safe, some people who call you are not who they say they are, not everyone who walks into your work is honest, and not everyone who knocks on your door has the best of intentions. Social engineering is a con between people, but technology can help to keep you safer.

Have You Heard of ATM Skimming?  

The danger isn’t always online. It can also happen as you are out and about during your day. You probably use your debit or credit card a lot, and the cybercriminals are out there waiting to collect your information through ATM skimming. They do this by placing a device over an ATM card slot. It easily blends in, and when you swipe your card, the criminals can collect information on your card. They even install cameras to record you putting in your PIN.

Protecting Yourself from ATM Skimming

You can protect yourself from the ATM skimming scam by doing the following:

  • Pay attention to credit card and bank statements
  • Report unauthorized transactions as soon as possible
  • If you can, use your credit card over your debit card. Generally, a credit card offers more protection against fraud than a debit card. Plus, it’s better to get fraudulent credit card charges than a totally empty bank account
  • Cover your hand when you are entering your PIN into any keypad

Caller ID Spoofing; What You Need to Know 

Another cybercrime you need to know about is called ID spoofing. These days, odds are higher than ever that the person on the other end of a ringing phone is a scammer. Criminals can use a method called “spoofing” to hide their information. Basically, they hide the phone number that they are calling from, and instead create a new one. Oftentimes, they will create a number that has the same area code as the person they are calling, as people are more likely to answer local numbers.

Protecting Yourself from Caller ID Spoofing 

You should never assume that the number popping up on your caller ID is legit, and you should never ever give any personal information over the phone, even if the caller ID looks real. If a person on the other end of the line says that you have won something, or creates a sense of urgency, tell them that you are going to call them back. Then, look up the number of the company or person and call that number back.

Protecting Yourself When Shopping/Banking Online

It doesn’t matter if you are shopping, banking, or answering emails online. Protecting yourself is important. Here are some things you can do:

  • Be suspicious of any email that contains an offer of some kind, especially one that is too good to be true. The same should be said for getting offers via social media.
  • Beware of possible phishing scams. Do not click on email links; always type in website addresses into the browser or use a bookmark.
  • Are you aware of typo-squatting? Pay attention to how website addresses are spelled. They might look remarkably like a real website but are a letter off…. i.e. GOOGLE.com vs G00GLE.com.
  • Only engage in business with companies or people who you know and trust. It is best to buy big-ticket items from brick-and-mortar stores, too.
  • Ensure your computer is secure. You should always keep your operating system updated with security patches, virus definitions, and antivirus software. Do not use a public Wi-Fi connection when doing online shopping.

Is Public Wi-Fi Safe?

Unfortunately, public Wi-Fi is not secure. There are a number of security risks that are associated with public Wi-Fi. These networks broadcast signals through radio frequencies, which means that anyone who has the right tools…and these tools are easy to find…can intercept the data that is sent through it.

To protect yourself when using public Wi-Fi, you should use a virtual private network (VPN) software. I really like Hotspot Shield VPN, but a lot of people really like Nord VPN, too, and it’s pretty good.

When you go online, whether it’s at a hotel, airport, or even local coffee shop, don’t log into any account unless you are connected to a VPN.

Even if you have a VPN, keep the following in mind:

  • Be smart about what you are doing online when connected to a public Wi-Fi connection. Do you really need to check your 401k while drinking your cappuccino?
  • Don’t sore any type of critical data on a device, and then use it outside of a network that is not secure.
  • Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on your cell phone or laptop when you aren’t using them. A device can still be sending wireless signals is very appealing to a hacker.

Should I Have ID Theft Protection?

You might have seen ads for ID theft protection but assumed that your identity would never get compromised, so that would be an unnecessary expense. Unfortunately, that’s just not true. We all should have ID theft protection. These services monitor your credit report and protect you if your identity is stolen.

Though, keep in mind that these services don’t protect against credit fraud or bank accounts, but they are good to have.

What is a Credit Freeze?

If you don’t have a credit freeze on your account, you are putting yourself at risk even more. A credit freeze, sometimes called a security freeze, locks down a credit file so that a lender cannot check your credit. This is a good thing, as it means that criminals cannot open any new accounts using your name nor your Social Security number…and if a lender can’t check your credit, they are very unlikely to extend a line of credit.

Keep in mind that you need to get a credit freeze from all of the credit bureaus including Experian, Innovis, TransUnion, and Equifax.

You can easily find out more about credit freezes for each company by searching on Google. While you are at it, you can freeze the credit of your kids, too. Make sure you keep records and learn how to “thaw” your credit when it’s time.

Keeping Your Passwords Safe and Protected

The most important thing that you need to know about passwords is that there is no such thing as a totally secure password. Some passwords are more secure than others, of course, but they can always be found out. Passwords are extremely convenient for people who want to access your accounts.

Is a Password Manager a Good Idea?

You might have heard of password managers, and if you have more than one online account…which you probably do…you should consider using one. You should have a unique password for every account, and it can be difficult for you to remember them. So, it is very tempting to use the same password for every account. But, if a hacker gets this password, they have access to all of your accounts. Instead, use a password manager to make your life easier.

  • When you use a password manager, you create a password that is secure and safe, and all of your passwords are protected by a hard to guess master password.
  • This master password allows you to access any site you have an account on through your password manager.
  • When you update a password on a website, the password manager will remember it and update it on all of the computers or devices you have the software on.

When you begin using a password manager, it is very likely that you will notice that you don’t have to worry about your online accounts. You will also notice the following:

  • When you visit a website for the first time, you won’t need to put your password in. Instead, you open your password manager and enter your master password.
  • The password manager you use fills in your username and password, which then allows you to log into the site.

Set Up Two Factor Authentication on All Accounts

Any account that you have that has any importance should have two-factor, or two-step, authentication. This is a further step you can take to protect your passwords. Remember, once a hacker has access to your password, that’s all they require to get into your account.

When you use two-factor authentication, the first thing you have to do is enter your password. However, there is an additional step here, too, which is why it is also called two-step authentication. Basically, the site you are trying to log into will send a code to your phone or email, whichever you choose. This is a unique, one-time code that you can use to log in. Essentially, you are using two passwords, your original password and the code, to log into your accounts. This code changes each time you log in, so a hacker would have to have access to both your password AND your phone and/or email address, in order to get into your account.

  • Almost every major company and corporation website that you use has some type of two-factor, or two-step, authentication.
  • To find out if the accounts that you have offers two-factor log ins, simply search for the term “two step verification” and the name of the company, i.e. eBay, Gmail, Amazon, etc.

Protecting Your Credit Cards

Many of us use credit cards in our daily lives, and there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from credit card fraud.

  • Take a close look at your credit card accounts on a regular basis. Check on your purchases every month, and then look to see if there are any odd or unfamiliar charges on them. Don’t only look for big charges, either. A small charge could still be a scam, and sometimes the hackers make a small purchase to make sure it goes through before buying something big. If you can, check your accounts a couple of times a week.
  • Set up “push” alerts on your credit card accounts. These alerts might come via email or text, and you can set them up for different activities. For instance, you can get a text any time you make a purchase over $100 or get an email when there is an online credit card transaction.
  • Don’t save your credit card information online. Some website allow you to store your credit card information if you make regular purchases, but it is much more secure to manually enter the number every time you shop.

This is all good advice, and you shouldn’t get overly worried about it, but be smart about it and take this advice to heart.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

The Tricks Behind the Clicks: Cyber Scams and Psychology

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What is it that makes people fall for scams? Cybercrime is as hot as ever, with new and more creative scams popping up all the time. There is plenty of focus on spotting scams, but less so on what makes people miss the signs.

The Tricks Behind the Clicks: Cyber Scams and PsychologyMartina Dove, Ph.D., is a senior UX researcher at Tripwire and an expert in fraud psychology. Her research into the brain’s reaction to cyber scams and how the human mind operates when presented with a scam makes for an interesting read. On top of this, it also takes a look at fraud, and how susceptible we are to it, and it does this by using Dove’s own model.

Cybercrime from a Psychological Standpoint 

Discussions around cyber security often center on the technical aspects of security and data protection for businesses and people’s personal lives. New gadgets, devices, controls, and defenses are constantly circulating- which helps the fight to fortify our information and secure the confusing and tricky online environment.

Trust is a fundamental human trait. Humans trust by default. Scammers capitalize on this knowing that people look at life and scams and trust first, and scrutinize later. The hard part is how we can best keep ourselves, and our minds, safe against scams and where the holes might lie. The fundamental psychology behind the cybercrime mentality is underexplored, and so far, discussions often go no further than scratching the surface.

This is surprising, considering that it has such huge impact on what motivates people on either side of a scam. According to the latest Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), social engineering is the most common type of attack in regard to cybercrimes.

The psychological elements of how phishing emails are presented, the power of persuasion, and what makes people fall for scams are all important to really understand how things work and ultimately how to avoid becoming a victim.

Martina Dove’s Research into Fraud Psychology and Scams 

Few people have provided quite as much insight into this topic as Dove. Having specialized in fraud psychology, Dove became particularly interested in the concept of gullibility when pursuing her master’s degree and ultimately decided to carry it through into her Ph.D.

In an interview with Tim Erlin of Tripwire, Dove said that she had always been interested in the idea of gullibility, which is what makes a person gullible- and what it really means to be a gullible person. After reading an article published by two psychology researchers who were exploring the tricks and techniques used by scammers (particularly in phishing emails), Dove decided to drive her own studies down a similar route, diving deeper into the human psyche and scam vulnerability.

The main point of this research is a fraud susceptibility model that looks at the ins and outs of what puts a person at risk on a psychological level of falling victim to spam, scams, and phishing.

According to Dove, it was not her intention to create a model when she first started- the research naturally took her in that direction as she uncovered more fascinating theories about persuasive techniques, thought processing, and personalities that may influence how people react to these attacks.

Martina Dove’s Ph.D. research has also been turned into a book called The Psychology of Fraud, Persuasion, and Scam Techniques, which is available on Amazon.

The Fraud Susceptibility Model 

The research that ultimately led to the model in Dove’s book started as a questionnaire designed to build a “measurable scale of fraud vulnerability.” It was scorable, with the answers determining what areas of a person’s personality put them at risk.

After a series of tests and experimental studies, along with expert analysis and validation, the model just created itself. Dove explained that some factors that influence susceptibility could actually be mapped and used to predict a person’s natural reaction when faced with a fraudulent situation. The fraud psychology expert also went on to describe how the model is used to determine compliance and the reasons behind it, as well as how people strategize after they realize they have been victimized.

It looks into the characteristics that leave a person most susceptible at each stage of a scam.

1.   Precursors

How do personal circumstances- emotional, social, financial, etc. – influence how we react to fraud? Does our demographic play a role? Our family situations? Essentially, how great an impact do our social surroundings and everything that comes with them have on our ability to identify and avoid scams?

2.   Engagement with scammers

Once a person is on the hook, what techniques does the scammer use, and how do personal character traits change how we respond? What types of persuasion works best on different personalities, and how do scammers identify and exploit these vulnerabilities?

3.   Dealing with victimization

Dove’s model explores the conscious versus unconscious decision-making processes that occur when people deal with phishing emails and other fraudulent communications- and after they realize they have been fooled. How do people accept what happened, and how does it impact their behaviors?

Throughout her research, Dove shares examples of circumstances and characteristics that can make people more or less susceptible.

  • Group mentality: Someone who is highly concerned with being part of a group and uncomfortable going against the status quo may ignore signals of uncertainty and doubt if others disagree.
  • Compliance: Naturally compliant individuals are hardwired to follow instructions. Scams prey on this, hoping that the ‘no questions asked’ mentality is enough to make a person adhere to requests.
  • Impulse: Impulsive people are less likely to take time to assess a situation and take the necessary steps to confirm a source or authenticity. Those who tend to favor fast decision-making over meticulous processes are more likely to become fraud victims.
  • Belief in justice: It may sound strange, but people who believe criminals will get caught and that bad things don’t happen to good people are vulnerable. Because they don’t see these things as pressing threats, they may overlook obvious signs. The naivety that says, “this won’t happen to me- I am a good person,” is potentially dangerous.
  • Background knowledge and self-evaluation: How much a person knows- or thinks they know- about cyber security can be a hindrance. People assume that their understanding of how scams work and what to look out for will protect them from becoming victims. This is, to a point, true, but it can also make people complacent. Being an expert in a field doesn’t disqualify a person from falling victim to targeted fraudulent communication.
  • Reliance on authority and social confirmation: If someone is particularly concerned with what others think, they may be at more risk. Authority-driven individuals may make decisions based on the belief it is a request from a superior, and socially-driven people may go along with something because of influence from friends or family.
  • A general predisposition to scams: According to a study published via ScienceDirect, some people are just prone to fraud because of their engagement levels. Everything about them may suggest otherwise, but they have something in them that makes them more likely to go along with a scam.

Examples of Scams and Victim Profiles 

Here are two examples of scams and the types of psychological profiles they are likely to target. 

  • Business Email Compromise Scam: The basis of this type of scam is a boss or member of management emailing an employee asking for urgent funds. It preys on qualities such as compliance, obedience, respect for authority, and hierarchical values. People who have a strong belief in the pecking order are less likely to question a demand made by a superior and are therefore more likely to comply without hesitation.
  • Sexploitation Scams: These scams use fear as the driving force to get people to comply with demands. A scammer working in this field uses language to evoke a person’s most primal drives- hoping their influence takes over the more practical aspects of human thinking. Anyone can struggle to make intelligent decisions when they are especially scared or excited, but someone prone to fast emotions is more likely to be a prime target.

It is interesting to see how different these two examples are, which shows how much a person’s emotional makeup and core values can impact their likelihood to become a victim of fraud.

The Challenges Facing Scam Awareness 

As Tim Erlin rightfully pointed out during his interview with Martina Dove– a significant challenge that stalls the progress of beating cyber criminals is the underlying sense of shame and embarrassment many scam victims feel. He stated that people don’t want to admit they fell for it and may not even report that it ever happened. This, sadly, is true and only adds to the stigma of fraud victimization- making it harder to build a substantial defense against these crimes.

Furthermore, there is a dangerous habit out there of immediately labeling scam victims as stupid, making them feel guilty for being the target of what is, at the end of the day, a crime. Fraud is as real as robbery, yet the victims are treated very differently.

Increasing the awareness and understanding of why these things happen and changing the narrative of how victims are perceived could help bring a more accepting mainstream view.

How Can Martina Dove’s Research Help with Fraud Awareness Training? 

Modern businesses are acutely aware of the very real risk of cyber scams and take steps to protect and educate their staff, but is there enough focus on vulnerability rather than vigilance? The idea that anyone can fall for a scam needs to be more publicized, and people made aware of what exactly is it about a person’s personality and psychology that makes them vulnerable.

As cyber security professionals can confirm- the human aspect is and always has been the weak link in the defense chain because people can make mistakes, and the brain is open to mind games. If scammers are getting better at playing on the mind, then security experts need to get better at educating people on how this exploitation works.

Using Dove’s research to make anti-fraud training more human-focused and interactive could be the difference between a person falling victim and feeling ashamed and being aware of emotions used against them- and being able to stop an attack in its tracks.  

Practical Advice for People at Risk

As part of Dove’s research, she complied a checklist of actions to take towards proactively identifying potential scams and avoiding being drawn into the deception. Here is a brief summary of the key points for consideration. 

  • Question how it makes you feel: Scams play on emotion and aim to evoke a strong reaction, so how you feel when you read something could be an instant warning sign.
  • Look for further language clues: Is there any wording that seems overly strong or makes you feel bad in a way that seems unnatural?
  • Beware of links: A quick and convenient ‘click here to solve your problems’ may not be what it seems. Only access trusted links and log into any secure accounts via the official portals and never through an email.
  • Make space for rationality amongst emotion: Understand that what you feel in the moment could have been engineered through clever psychological tricks and attacks. Take a step back, wait to make a decision, and ask for opinions from family and friends if you are not sure about how to proceed.
  • Scrutinize the details: Look into correspondence for any sign of falsification or something that just doesn’t feel right. Emotional people may be quick to act, but they can also have strong senses of instinct.
  • Don’t rush to action, no matter the request: Sometimes, a pause is all it takes. Stopping and thinking is never bad practice in any walk of life or decision to be made.  

Final Thoughts 

Everyone was not created equally when it comes to emotions and how they drive our thoughts. Moderating how they impact decisions and how vulnerable they make us to gullibility is not easy, and greater awareness is needed.

The ties drawn between psychology and cybercrime are truly fascinating and open up an interesting and far overdue conversation about the correlations.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Top 5 2022 Cybercrime Scams Targeting Everyone

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According to experts in threat analysis, 2022 could be the year that cybercriminals start focusing more on the Average Joe instead of focusing on big corporations as they have in the past. These days, consumers could be a lot more lucrative to hackers, so it makes a lot of sense. Here is what you need to know about what is happening to help hackers:

Cybercriminals Like to Take the Easy Path

No one really likes to do a lot of hard work, and this includes hackers and other cybercriminals. So, they will focus on the path of least resistance when targeting a victim. Where they used to find a lot of loopholes with corporations, now they are focused on individuals…specifically those who work from home as a remote worker.

Remote Workers Are Easy Prey

Though the pandemic is starting to fade away, remote working seems to be here to stay, and with that comes more security risks. While all of this is going on, organizations are focusing more on internal security and forgetting that they have employees out there who can easily be connected to the network remotely and are vulnerable to hackers.

So, it is totally possible that for a hacker, it is much easier to access a company network by using social engineering or a phishing scam on Mary in Customer Service, who now works from home in her jammies, than it is to go through traditional hacking methods.

We are in a Crypto-World, Now, Too

2021 was the year for those who mine cryptocurrency because coins like Ether, Bitcoin, and other cryptos rose greatly. Meanwhile, we also…and are still seeing…the rise of NFTs on the market. People who are just now getting into this are really focused on this new crypto-craze, and they don’t know how to protect themselves. Hackers are focused on them, too, and it is thought that it will continue to rise into 2022.

Meta is also here, now, and it is expected to create even more payments via digital assets, and this is expected to add even more fuel to the fire.

Stopping Macros

Another thing that is happening right now is that companies like Microsoft are working to disable things like Excel 4.0 macros, which hackers often use to get malware on a victim’s device. However, hackers are one step ahead, and they are now working on fooling victims to go to a malicious website instead, and using things like social media sites, fun games that are actually designed to steal passwords, and even posting YouTube videos designed to hack.

For much of 2021, experts noted that there were tons of threats to people that came from software that looks innocent, such as games, and though a person can play the game in some cases, the software also installs things like miners onto the device. This, too, is expected to increase throughout 2022.

Even More Adware

For most cybercriminals, adware is seen as a great way to make money, and they use it to exploit networks, smartphones, and even computers. It is expected that in the remainder of 2022, these attacks will continue to rise as they are difficult to detect but spread fairly quickly. Many consider adware to just be annoying and not particularly dangerous, these programs may be bundled with other types of software including ransomware, viruses, and more.

Speaking of Ransomware…

Finally, when we think of ransomware these days, we still see a lot of threat, but they had been focused more on larger companies and corporations. As we settle nicely into mid-2022, however, we have seen more ransomware targeting governments and other similar organizations, as well as people who may own something of value. These attacks are common for hacking groups, as they are easy to pull off.

We also see the ransom demands falling a bit, with hackers asking individuals for $1000 or less in order to access their device. This means that consumers have to be more careful than ever before, and they need to keep the following in mind:

  • Only use unique passwords that are very strong and varied. (I.e. a mixture of letters, numbers, and symbols.)
  • Use security software, like Microsoft Defender, if you have a Windows computer or any antivirus as long as you ay for it. With free, you get what you pay for.
  • Never open any email attachments from a person or company that you don’t know. Call them first to confirm its OK.
  • Don’t expose internal services, like NAS devices or a Remote Desktop, to the internet.
  • When OS and software updates are available, make sure you install them.
  • Don’t download key generators or software cracks, which often contain viruses or ransomware.

By taking these simple steps, we can work together to make sure that 2022 is NOT the biggest year of cybercrime, and instead, the year we do our best to fight back against hackers.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Online Dating Scams – You May Find Much More than Love Online, and It’s Not Good

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These days, if you want to date, there are hundreds of online dating sites and apps out there, but instead of finding love, you may fall for one of online dating scams and lose a lot of money. Most people think that a person has to be “naïve” or “gullible” and the reality is you just need to be human and want to be loved. Sometimes our heart gets in the way of our mind and basic common sense.

What Are Online Dating Scams and How They Work

Online Dating Scams or romance scams are hot topics these days, especially after a report came out from the Federal Trade Commission that said people have lost more than $1 billion in romance scams over the past five years. In 2020, $304 million in losses was reported, and last year, victims of online dating scams lost $547 million.

These reports show that romance scammers are a dangerous breed. They find photos of attractive people or even take on the identity of someone else. Then they create a story and set out to find some victims. They can easily create a perfectly legitimate looking profile, but there is almost always a story about why they can’t meet in person once you get to know each other… they might work on an oil rig, or they are stationed overseas with the military.

Many people who have fallen victim to online dating scams report that they were contacted by these scammers on a dating site, but you really don’t have to be single and looking for them to contact you. They use everything from emails to direct messages on social media to start building a relationship, and many of these start right on Instagram or Facebook.

Romance Scammers Pray on Your Emotions

As master storytellers, cybercriminals involved in online dating scams create a tall tale to con others, and in the process, something always happens — their car breaks down and they need $700 for a repair… their child is sick, and they can’t pay the medical bills… they are a bit short on rent and will be homeless if they don’t pay up… and they come to their “online love” for the cash, but in reality, it’s all a lie. They also might create some sort of reason they need to move funds from one account to another or they have an inheritance that will pay for your lives together, but in order to get it, they need you to be a middleman. In reality, they may be using you to launder money.

You might think that there is no way you would fall for something like this, but millions do each year, and it’s easier to do than you might think. Let’s look at an example.

Finding Your Soulmate

Rebecca D’Antonio was looking for love on the popular dating app, OKCupid. There, she met the man of her dreams, a handsome widowed father from Australia who worked on an oil rig. Rebecca immediately fell for the Aussie, who said his name was Matthew, and they engaged in conversation for weeks before he started needing money for things. Believing him to be her long-distance boyfriend at this point, she was happy to help out when she could. Over time, she ended up sending him around $100,000.

Eventually, Rebecca caught on to the scam, but it was too late. She had to declare bankruptcy, and her life crumbled around her. She ended up confronting “Matthew,” and even explained that she had thought about suicide because she was so distraught about this, and “he” simply responded with “Well, you have to do what you have to do.”

Rebecca wasn’t the only one who fell for “Matthew’s” charms, and eventually, after report after report, it was found that he was actually a member of a Nigerian gang of cybercriminals.

Another well-known case of a romance scam is from the Netflix documentary, “The Tinder Swindler.” The movie is a profile of a man named Shimon Hayut, who went by the alias Simon Leviev. Over time, he was able to swindle people out of more than $10 million in online dating scams.

Look Out for the Lies

The good news is that there are some things that you can look for to determine if a person you meet on an online dating app could be a scammer.

First, most of the time, the person will say that they are not in the US, or they are travelling for an extended period of time. Many will say they work on an oil rig, that they are in the military, or that they are a doctor working overseas with a humanitarian organization.

Next, you should take note of any instances where they ask for money. They often will ask for money for the following reasons:

  • To pay for surgery or medical costs
  • To pay off gambling debts
  • To pay for travel expenses, i.e. a plane ticket
  • To pay for a visa or other travel documents
  • To pay for custom fees

Even if they ask for something that is not on this list, they may ask for a victim to send money in a certain way. For instance, they may want money wired to this, or they may ask for money in the form of gift cards or a reloadable debit card. They do this because they know that there is only a very small chance that they will be caught, and once these transactions are made, it is almost impossible to get your money back.

What to Do if You Think You are Talking to a Romance Scammer

If you think that you are talking to a person who may be a romance scammer, you should start taking steps immediately.

First, never, ever send money to them. If you already have, stop it immediately. Next, you should cut off communication with the person. Reach out to a person you trust, and then pay attention to what your friends and family have to say about this love interest. You should also consider doing some research about what the person told you. Did they say they were in the US Army and stationed overseas? Where? Is this a common scam when you search Google “US Army scammer”? Finally, you want to do a reverse image search of the photos they are sending you. Do they come up as someone else?

Reporting Online Dating Scams

If you believe that you are involved in a scam, you should report it to the FTC. You should also report the person’s profile to the site you met them on.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Identity Theft — Types, Signs, and Protection for Victims

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The internet is an awesome place where you can do things like shop or interact with family and friends you may not see all of the time. For as much fun as it is, though, it can also be quite dangerous.

Identity Theft --- Types, Signs, and Protection for VictimsAccording to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, in 2020, there were about 2.1 million fraud reports, and many of these were for the purpose of stealing another person’s identity.

Victims of identity fraud may lose a lot of money, and their credit could be damaged for years. They also might have a lot of mental anguish and stress to deal with. There is a threat of identity theft for almost anyone, but if you know how to do your best to avoid it, as well as signs of ID theft, you can help to protect yourself and your family.

The Definition of Identity Theft

Most of us have heard of identity theft, but do you really know the definition? It is when a cybercriminal steals a person’s personal or financial data, generally in order to use the information for financial gain. It means they may try to get information on full names, Social Security numbers, birthdays, address, credit/bank account information, or even driver’s license information. Once they have this information, they can use it to apply for credit cards, open bank accounts, get insurance, or even do things like buy a house or car…all in the name of the victim.

How Does ID Theft Happen?

Before we get into the types of identity theft, it’s important to know how ID theft happens:

  • A Phishing Scam – These days, phishing scams are all over the place, and they often happen via email or websites. Generally, with these scams, a person pretends to be someone you know or trust, such as posing as a customer service worker from your bank, in order to get information and personal data.
  • Data Breaches – Many companies store the information of their customers, including your doctor, your ISP provider, your credit card company, and more. If there is a data breach, criminals will have easy access to this information, and it might even get sold on the dark web.
  • Snooping on Social Media – Criminals often will get information to steal an identity by using social media. Most people, for instance, have their birthday on their Facebook page, and they might even have their home address. That, along with their name, might be all they need to gain access to other accounts. They can also look for things like pet names or kid’s birthdays, as many people use these for passwords or PINs.
  • Hacking – A hacker can easily get into phones, tablets, or computers if they aren’t protected. They use malware and viruses to do this. Having a good antivirus software can help stop this, and it can help to protect your personal information and devices from the bad guys.
  • Theft – Some criminals really go back to basics to steal someone’s identity. They can really just take it. By stealing your wallet, your purse, or even your phone can give them all of the information they need.
  • Dumpster Diving – A criminal might also simply pull your information right out of the trash. If you are throwing away documents that have information such as your name, address, birthday, or other information, a thief can find this right in the garbage. Keep in mind that things like a bank statement or credit card statement can contain your number, and a pay stub may have your Social Security number on it. Always take a couple of minutes to shred any paperwork before you throw it out.

The Five Main Types of ID Theft

 There are a ton of different types of identity theft, but there are five main ones:

Financial ID Theft

 The most common type of identity theft is the financial variety. This is when a scammer uses a victim’s data for financial gain. This type of ID theft may take the following forms:

  • A scammer might use your credit card information to buy things online.
  • A hacker can literally steal money right out of your bank account – they often do this by taking small amounts here and there from unknowing victims. This amount might be so small that you may not even notice it — but when they do this over and over again, they can collect millions.
  • A criminal can open new accounts in your name, too, by simply using your Social Security number and supporting data. For example, a person can open a credit line in your name, and then use all that credit…leaving you with the pay back.

The good news, however, is that it is fairly simple to protect yourself from ID theft by keeping an eye on your bills, your bank account, and credit card statements. If you see something that looks strange, you should immediately notify your bank or credit card company. You should also check your credit report for any changes. A decrease that you were not expecting could mean that there is some type of fraud going on. You can check your credit report in a number of ways, and most credit card providers offer it as a perk for customers.

You can also choose to place a fraud alert on credit reports, so that you can stop anyone from opening any new accounts by using your information. This means that lenders and creditors must take extra steps to verify your identity before they offer a credit increase or loans. A credit freeze might also be a great idea.

Medical ID Theft

Another type of identity theft is medical identity theft. This is when a criminal takes a person’s identity to get health care by posing as the victim. They can use this information to do things like obtain prescription drugs or even get expensive surgery done. This means that you will get the bills for all of this, and it can also negatively affect your health records. This can mean you will have difficulties getting insurance in the future, and it can also mean you won’t get the care you need in a health crisis.

You can help to minimize the risk of medical identity theft by taking the time to review any and all medical claims you might get in the mail. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, such as a prescription you didn’t get, you should immediately contact your doctor’s office and your insurer. You should also contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to make a claim.

Criminal ID Theft

This type of identity theft occurs when a person is arrested for a crime, but then they use the name of someone else. They might be able to do this by using a fake or stolen ID, such as a driver’s license, to show the cops.

This can be a difficult type of ID theft to notice if you are a victim until some type of consequence happens, such as –

  • You get a court summons for a crime you didn’t commit
  • You get a bench warrant for your arrest
  • You get information that someone is performing a background check on you

One of the things that you can do to protect yourself against criminal ID theft is to protect your ID. If your driver’s license or state-ID is stolen or lost, you should immediately report it to law enforcement or the DMV. Also, you should make an effort to limit the type of information you share online.

Synthetic ID Theft

 This is the fastest growing type of ID theft in the US, and it is the practice of people creating a fake ID using the real information of the victim. The bad guys might, for instance, use information such as the Social Security number, birthday, and address of three different people, and then combine this information to create a new ID. They can then use this information to commit fraud.

The most important thing to know about synthetic ID theft is that you may be able to stop it by knowing that it’s happening, and then acting quickly. For instance, if you get a piece of mail that has your address on it, but a different name, or you get a phone call to your number asking for someone you don’t know over and over again, this could be an issue. Again, you should be checking your credit reports for anything strange, which could indicate that there is an issue. An identity monitoring service may also help to catch this type of ID theft.

Child ID Theft

Finally, we have child ID theft. In this case, a scammer steals the information from a child to open a new account or credit line in that child’s name. Then, they can use that information to do things like apply for benefits, get a driver’s license, or even purchase a home. It is easier for a scammer to get away with this than with an adult’s information, as most children don’t have any type of credit nor financial accounts.

A sad fact, here, is that the ID theft of a child is often done by their own family or family friend, as they will have easy access to the child’s information. Most of the time, they can get away with it for years, as a minor typically won’t even realize that they are a victim until they try to do something like take out a student loan for college.

The best way to check on this is to see if your child has any type of credit report with TransUnion, Experian, or Equifax. If they do, look at the report, and then let authorities know if there is anything suspicious. You also might consider placing a freeze on your child’s report to help to minimize any type of fraud from occurring.

Signs that You are a Victim of ID Theft

None of us want to be left in the cold when it comes to ID theft, so by knowing the signs you can use to spot it, you can get ahead of it quickly.

Finally, here are some of the signs you should look for:

  • Fraud alerts from a bank or other financial institution – most banks have some type of security in place to notify them and the customer if there is something weird going on. For instance, if you are in Chicago, and your credit card is used in Tokyo, there could be a big problem.
  • Your credit score changes unexpectedly – A credit score that rises unexpectedly could mean that someone is attempting to extend your credit, and a strong dip in your score might mean that someone is trying to get a loan in your name or there is a bill in your name that has gone to collection.
  • Your financial accounts have changes – It is important to check your bank statements at least every few weeks and look for anything that seems unfamiliar to you. You should also look to see if there are any new credit accounts or lines of credit in your name.
  • You apply for credit, and you are denied – if you have a decent credit score, and you apply for credit, you probably think that you are going to get approved…. if you don’t, you should check your credit report, as someone could be up to something.
  • You get strange phone calls from a collection agency – If you start getting phone calls from a debt collector or collection agency that you don’t owe, there could be an account open in your name that you don’t know about. Check your credit report, immediately.
  • You get mail that is odd – You may also get some mail that is sent to your address that seems strange. This might be medical bills or other bills that you do not recognize.
  • Your tax filing is rejected – Additionally, you may notice that when you try to file your taxes that they are rejected. This could mean that someone has already filed in your name. If this happens to you, contact the IRS immediately.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Apple Releases a New ‘Personal Safety User Guide’ to Help with AirTag Stalking

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Over the years, Apple has attracted all types of users thanks to its relatively safe and secure devices and software when compared to other products. However, with the release of AirTags, this has changed a bit, as they can fairly easily be manipulated by people to track others. This has put a lot more focus on Apple products and safety, and it has ultimately led Apple to release a new Personal Safety User Guide, which was created to keep customers safe.

airtagMost of the suggestions and tips that are found in the guide aren’t things that are foreign to people who use Apple products, but there is a new section in the guide all about AirTags. In the guide, Apple explains the numerous features it has applied to AirTags, which were created to stop any unwanted tracking or stalking. It also shares information on what to do if there is an AirTag alert that doesn’t belong to them.

Apple has described this new guide as a resource for anyone who has concerns about harassment, abuse, or stalking through technology. Those who are experiencing this type of harassment or abuse can look at the guide and see step-by-step directions on how to remove access to their information as well as a guide on what they can do to improve their own safety. Though this guide doesn’t technically introduce any new features, it is a good start for people who are looking for a resource to help in these situations.

In this guide, Apple offers a full bulleted list of 13 different tasks that people can use to improve their security. The guide also shares three different checklists, which all provide directions to help people change their settings if they believe that someone might have access to their accounts. Additionally, there are tips on how to stop sharing information with other people.

Meanwhile, AirTags are being used by travelers to locate their lost luggage. Check out our post Be Aware of These Safe Travel Security Tips for more info.

When AirTags were first introduced, the main concern was that people could use the devices to stalk or follow and track other people. As more people have begun to use them, this has turned those concerns into a reality, as there are many reports of people using AirTags to follow others.

To help alleviate some of these issues, Apple introduced a new update that would make the AirTags beep if not near the owner’s phone for a set period of time. There is also a new app that Apple released, called Tracker Detect, which allows Android users to scan for these connections, too.

In addition to stalking, car thieves have also been using AirTags to track down, and eventually steal, expensive vehicles. There is also the fact that parents or partners can use the devices to track their children or significant others, which may bring up some moral issues.

Of course, not all AirTag use is bad. In fact, they can be very useful for things like finding your car in a crowded parking lot, finding your luggage when traveling, or even knowing where your pet is at any time. People also use these tags for much simpler things, like finding their keys in their apartment. Other people report using AirTags for good reasons, too, including tracking where their belongings are during a cross country move.

If you ever have concerns about being tracked with an unwanted AirTag, there are some things you can do to protect yourself. First, any AirTag that is not near its owner will cause an alert to appear on your Apple device. This tells you that an AirTag tracker is close by. They also put out a little alarm if they are away from the owner’s device for too long. Finally, if you are an Android user, you can also download and use the app Track Detect to make sure there are no AirTags nearby.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Protecting Your Accounts from Russian – or Any — Cyberattacks

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No matter when you look at the news, there is probably a story about Russian hackers…and if there is not a story about hackers from Russia, there is likely a story about hackers from China or a place like Turkey. There is definitely a chance that any hacker or hacking group could launch an attack against the US, and the government has even briefed companies about what to do if they believe they are at risk.

hacker chest

Just because you are an individual, it doesn’t mean that you are not at risk of a cyberattack, just like a company is. You may be wondering how you can protect yourself, since this is the case. This is a great time to learn more about how to stay safe from cyberattacks – no matter where they come from.

Many cybersecurity threats are coming from what is known as a “Distributed Denial of Service” (DDOS) attack, which is often launched against a website or a financial network. Basically, the hackers push so much traffic to a network or site that it totally crashes, which disrupts business. At this point, the IT team has to focus on getting the network or site back up, which opens a window for a hacker to move in right under their noses.

These attacks can happen at any time, and they can be quite far reaching. Back in 2012, a group of Iranian activists attacked more than a dozen banks in the US, which disrupted all of their sites.

So, what can you do to make sure this doesn’t happen to you? Here are some tips:

In addition to below, check out our post: Russian Hackers: 14 Ways to Protect Yourself and Your Business

  • CASH, YES Cash: Try to keep a little cash available, especially if you are going out of town. This way, you will have money in case a banking network or ATM is not working due to a DDOS.
  • For every banking or financial account you have, make sure you have a strong and unique password. Don’t reuse any passwords, and do not use any social media password for any banking site.
  • Always watch your financial accounts for unusual activity. Check your bank account online or via phone at least once a week, and if you can, every day or two. If there is a problem, it is always best to find it as early as possible.
  • Russian hackers often try phishing scams on social media or via email in order to get access to corporate networks. Never, ever click a link in an email or on social media from someone you do not know. They also use text messages to try to get people to respond with information that will allow them into accounts. Even if it seems like it’s coming from a company you are familiar with or even do business with…confirm everything before you click or give information.
  • Sign up for email or text alerts for all of your financial accounts. This way, if there is a weird transaction, you will be notified immediately.
  • You should also consider signing up for multi-factor authentication for any financial account. When you do, and someone tried to sign into your account…even yourself…the bank or other company will send you a code to the email or phone number they have on file. Even if you put the correct username or password in, you cannot get into the account without that code.
  • Always update all of your apps and software on every device, including phones, tablets, and computers. To make it easy, set these updates to occur automatically, and then you don’t have to worry about it.
  • Don’t believe everything you see online. There are a lot of scams out there, and there is a lot of “news” out there that is not real nor correct. Use common sense before doing anything.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Social Cohesion Erosion: The Covid-19 Pandemic and the Fall of Society as We Know It

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The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world as we knew it. From millions of people who have died to inflation running out of control, we still haven’t returned to “normal.” However, these things aren’t the only changes we have seen; we are also seeing a new threat known as “social cohesion erosion.”

What is this? Well, it’s the basic crumbling of civility in society.

Take a look at the world around you and how people act and think of some of the things that have happened over the past two or three years. For example, supporters of the former President attacked the U.S. Capitol in 2020. This is a direct manifestation of the instability of society that the political climate has created.

Here is another example of what is happening right now in the world.  —

Recently, in the Bronx, a 76-year-old woman was attacked and beaten by a group of three in a robbery attempted. The leader? A 13-year-old girl. The young teen was arrested and charged with assault and robbery.

 The nature of the attack is shocking. Surveillance video shows that the older woman fought back, but she struggled to keep the door closed. Eventually, the three assailants were able to overpower her. One of them grabbed her purse, and then threw the woman to the ground, where she broke her hip. Unable to move, the suspects began going through her purse, and they took her wallet along with $50 in cash.

 Thankfully, a neighbor quickly saw the woman on the ground and ran to help. Since there were surveillance cameras, neighbors were able to identify the attackers, including the 13-year-old ringleader. They said she is known to cause issues in the neighborhood and has had trouble with the police in the past.

More Mass Shootings, Too

In addition to people simply losing civility, there has been an increase of mass shootings since people have been able to come out of Covid-19 quarantine. A mass shooting is described as any shooting event where four or more people are shot.

First, Uvalde, Buffalo, and so many many more Mass Shootings. Then we have an argument outside of a Norfolk, VA pizza place, which led to a shooting that killed two, including a 25-year-old bystander. In Dumas, Arkansas, a gunfight erupted at a car show, killing one and wounding 27. Austin, TX also recently saw a mass shooting during the final weekend of the SXSW festival.

The bad news is that there are no signs of mass shootings letting up, and there have been several more since these. On top of this, the rate of murders has also risen, and from 2019 to now, they are up 30 percent, the highest in over two decades.

What is the reason for this, though? There are, unfortunately, no convincing answers. There are a couple of ideas that experts are floating around, however. One of these is that social isolation during the pandemic has caused a lot of frustration that is coming to the surface. There is also an idea that there is a sense of lawlessness that is coming from events like the murder of George Floyd and other police violence. There were also more gun sales during the pandemic than in years before.

It’s also important to mention that gun crime isn’t the only type of violent crime that is on the rise, nor is the crime rate rising only in areas where police violence has occurred. What is interesting to mention, however, is that though the pandemic affected countries all over the world, we are only seeing this rise in crime in the US…not in Canada, not in the UK, not in Japan, not in France…nowhere else.

We may have a hint of why this is happening if we look at history. If we look at crime in the past, we can see that these crime waves occur when people begin to feel frustration with their government, society, and other people in their country. This frustration can easily cause a breakdown of society.

If we take a look at the homicide rates in both Western Europe and in the US over the past four centuries, we can see that crime rates increase when there is a lot of loss of trust in society as a whole. When we begin to lose empathy for others, crime rises. We saw the same phenomenon in the 60s and 70s in the US as well.

Most of us, of course, don’t go out and commit crimes, but the isolation that all of us have experienced over the past three years makes it so that people are more willing to commit violent acts and break rules.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.