How to protect you and your family from cyberattacks

When it comes to protecting your online information, it pays to be vigilant.

More recent data from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission shows financial losses from phishing schemes, which trick people into giving out personal information, are up 261 per cent in 2021, compared to last year.

With the pandemic increasing our dependence on the internet to work remotely, access services and communicate with others, how can we protect ourselves from these kinds of cyberattacks?

Here are our tips.

Step 1: Be social, but with care

Your personal information on social media can be used for targeted online scams, so be careful about the kind of information you share publicly.

For example, if you post your pet’s name or your mother’s maiden name, you might inadvertently reveal the answers to two common security questions.

Check your privacy settings on platforms such as FacebookInstagram and Snapchat, so that you know exactly what information you are sharing with whom.

Also, only accept friend requests from people you know.

Don’t include your date of birth, address or other sensitive information on your social profiles and be careful about revealing your location.

These details can be used for targeted phishing attacks. To appear legitimate, scammers will often send you a personalised email with information like your name, personal details and interests.

Step 2: Don’t get caught in a phish

Phishing is how cyber criminals steal confidential information. They do this by sending a fraudulent message.

The messages can come from organisations you trust, so that they appear to be legitimate. Previously used examples include the police, utility providers, banks, telecommunication services and even government departments like the Australian Taxation Office.

You may receive them via email, SMS, instant messaging or social media platforms. Often there will be a link to a bogus website, where you are encouraged to provide confidential information.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre suggests taking the following steps to protect yourself:

  • Don’t click on links in emails or messages, or open attachments, from people or organisations you don’t know.
  • Be especially cautious if messages are very enticing or include threats to make you do something.
  • Before you click a link, hover over it to see the actual web address (usually shown at the bottom of the browser window). If you do not recognise or trust the website, try searching for relevant key terms in a web browser. This way you can find the article, video or web page without directly clicking on the suspicious link.
  • If you’re suspicious, talk to a friend or family member about the message, or check its legitimacy by contacting the relevant business or organisation (using contact details sourced from the official company website).
  • Use a spam filter to block deceptive messages from even reaching you.
  • Be aware that your financial institution and other large organisations would never send you a link and ask you to enter your personal or financial details.
  • Use safe behaviour online. Learn how to use email safely and browse the web safely.
  • Stay informed on the latest threats by signing up to ACSC Alert Service or checking Scamwatch regularly.

Step 3: Think like a scammer

Knowing how scammers operate will help you spot a scam. Clues to look out for include:

  • A dodgy email address
  • Spelling and grammatical errors
  • Requests for money or information
  • Clickbait tactics such as appealing to your sense of curiosity or creating urgency

Step 4: Know how to respond

If you suspect a scam, don’t do anything the email or message asks and don’t reply. If you’re at work, notify your IT desk straight away.

If it’s too late and you’ve already revealed financial details, contact your financial institution immediately.

You should report the scam to Scamwatch. They can provide information about where to get help if you have been scammed.

Step 5: Be clever with your passwords

Using the same password across multiple accounts is a big no-no! Be sure to mix up your passwords and to change them regularly. Choose multi-factor authentication where possible.

The longer and more complex the password, the better. A strong password should contain a few capital letters, numbers and a symbol. It’s a good idea to use passphrases of 12 or more characters (for inspo, click here).

If the idea of remembering multiple passwords gives you a headache, consider using a Password Manager. These programs help you to generate complete passwords and store them in an encrypted database.

We hope you found these tips handy. Remember, your cybersecurity is important, so be proactive and help protect yourself today.

Our service is completely

Free

Yes, that’s right. You pay zero, zip, nada.

1st Street’s premium service comes at no cost to you! 1st Street is paid by the lender when your loan settles, however, this will not affect your interest rate or loan fees! It is often more cost-effective for a mortgage broker to process a loan rather than the lenders processing it themselves in-house. In fact, we often find that we can save you money by negotiating on your behalf.

I want to buyI want to refinance

Crunch
your numbers

Use our online calculators to work out how much you can borrow, loan repayments, stamp duty and lots more.

View calculators

With 40+ lenders to choose from, the options are never ending!

A word from our satisfied customers

Maxine Zhong
Maxine Zhong
19 October 2023
Amanda has been such an incredible support throughout our very first time going through the home loan process. Her thoughtfulness to regularly check in to make sure all our questions were answered and that all our documents were in place helped to make the whole daunting process feel seamless and easy. I could not recommend her enough - she made sure to keep us informed every step of the way and made sure all necessary documents/processes were completed well ahead of time so we never had to worry about missing any steps. She went well above and beyond her role, and I know we will definitely be coming back to her in the future, as well as recommending her to all of our networks! Thank you again, Amanda!
Mark Nesbitt
Mark Nesbitt
11 October 2023
Greg and the team provide an outstanding service. Highly recommended
Christine Tran
Christine Tran
23 September 2023
Yuval handled my first ever home loan, he did such an amazing job I asked to him to refinance for me 2 years later. Yuval made everything very easy for me, and will give his best recommendation as if it was his own. Would always recommend Yuval :)
David Petrini
David Petrini
25 August 2023
Yuval Bloomfield was an absolute delight to work with. He made it extremely easy for my clients to discuss about their financial situation. With Yuval's strong connections he was able to get the loan my clients wanted in very quick time. Will definitely refer Yuval again.
Sophie Linehan
Sophie Linehan
24 August 2023
Greg and the team at 1st Street were fantastic all the way through the process of getting our financing sorted and buying a new home. They not only secured us the most competitive mortgage in the market but they also gave advice on a number of mortgage-adjacent questions that came up along the way. Their responsive and thoughtful guidance helped make the nail-biting process clear and calm. We would definitely recommend their services.
Gabrielle Scott-Jones
Gabrielle Scott-Jones
18 August 2023
Greg and his team gave me exceptional advice and support. They were timely and detailed in their responses and dealt patiently with me as a first home buyer and all of my questions. The lender at the bank commented on how well I was being looked after compared with other brokers in the market. I’d highly recommend 1st Street to anyone, including friends and family.
Eli Simic
Eli Simic
15 August 2023
Great communication and fast service
Richard Kuipers
Richard Kuipers
11 August 2023
Jeremy and his team are superb. Negotiated the best deal for us and were an absolure pleasure to work with. Highly recommended, you can't do any better in my opinion.
Jordan Rivkin
Jordan Rivkin
1 August 2023
The team at 1st Street truly are professionals. I can't recommend Jeremy highly enough, he is extremely competent and just a great guy. You're in safe hands with 1st Street!
Yossi Bengida
Yossi Bengida
23 July 2023
Another amazing job by David and Bree. Always available for our questions, helpful and just 10/10 Seriously good work !! See you on the next one :) Yossi and liz