Page 3 - September_Newsletter_2017

Other exposures aren't so easy to spot. Your first indication a hacker
has compromised your credit card may be unexpected items on your
bill. Always read credit card bills, and take care to check what every
line means—even the small ones. Card-thieves will occasionally put
through a few small purchases, just to make sure the card is OK, be-
fore making a big purchase.

If you're lucky, your bank will detect fraudulent activity, decline the
transaction, and issue you a new card. That's a pain, of course, as any
automatic payments that you have set up will need the new number.
But it's better than letting hackers buy a Caribbean holiday with your
credit.

Scammers can use a compromised email account to broadcast spam,
or to send targeted email scams to your contacts. Your first clue may
be worried phone calls from friends asking if you're truly stuck in a
Paris airport with no cash.
An identity thief can also use your personal information to open credit
accounts, accounts you know nothing about. You might only find out
when a company refuses credit for yourself.

What Happens Next?
Credit card compromise may be the easiest hack to weather. You're
not responsible for the fraudulent charges, and once the bank has is-
sued a new card the problem is solved.

Regaining control of a hacked email account can be harder. You' will
need to contact the email provider and prove that you're the true ac-
count holder. Of course, if the hacker changes your password, you
won’t be able to use your normal email to contact the provider. It's
important to have more than one email address, and make each the
alternate contact address for the other.