Every iPhone and Android user warned ‘hackers love’ common mistake you make when logging in to ‘PayPal, Amazon, Netflix’

THESE DAYS, anyone with an internet account is prone to get hacked.

You become even more prone to it if you make a common mistake that hackers can’t seem to resist.

Getty Images - Getty

Getty Images - Getty

There are sure ways to ensure you don’t get hacked or at least try to protect your accounts further.

One of the methods includes making sure you’re not feeding the hackers what they want.

While it is time-consuming, according to McAfee, it is essential to change all accounts — including your PayPal, Amazon, and Netflix, per the report — that have the same password as other accounts you own.

With many individuals still using identical logins across multiple accounts, “hackers love” to exploit this practice, per the outlet.

Once things have calmed down, it’s essential to revisit your password strategy for all your online accounts.

A recommended approach is to ensure that each account has its own unique and strong password.

McAfee also recommends trying multi-factor authentication.

Adding multi-factor authentication (MFA), also referred to as 2-factor authentication, introduces an extra layer of security to your login process.

With MFA enabled, you’ll need not only your password but also a unique one-time code for authentication.

This code can be delivered to your mobile phone or generated through an authenticator app.

CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD

Another important step you want to take is to change your compromised account’s password as soon as possible.

Your first priority should be ensuring the hacker can’t regain access to your account.

It’s crucial that your new password is both complex and entirely unrelated to any previous ones.

Aim for a minimum of 8-10 characters, mixing uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers.

Consider using a password manager, which can generate highly secure passwords that are beyond human capability to create, McAfee suggests.

Phone scam statistics

Americans are bombarded with three billion spam phone calls a month. What are the figures regarding the number of victims and the amount of money lost to fraudsters

• In 2022, Americans lost some $39.5 billion to phone scams, with 68.4 million US citizens affected, according to TechReport.
• The average phone scam victim lost $567.41 each in 2021, a major rise on the 2021 figure of $182 per victim, according to Hiya.
• The majority of scams happen over the phone, with fraudsters twice as likely to call compared to text in 2021, as reports the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
• In 2021, the US saw a 56% increase in spam phone calls with 60% of those being robocalls.
• US residents experienced an average of 18 spam phone calls per month, although some experts believe the true figure may be as high as 31 per month.
• Many phone calls from reputable businesses may be marked wrongly as spam, but 38% of companies have no idea whether they’re being marked as “potential fraud” or not, according to Hiya.
• Never hand over any personal or financial information if you suspect a phone call is a scam. For instance, your bank will never ask you for such details in full over the phone. 
• To cut down on spam phone calls and scams, sign up for the Do Not Call Registry. Telemarketers, by law, will need to check that list before they call you up.
• Downloading third-party apps such as Hiya, Nomorobo, or Truecaller can help filter out annoying spam calls.
• Try not to share your phone number unless you have to, especially online or with sketchy sources.

If you discover that the hacker has changed your password, locking you out of your account, you’ll need to reset it by clicking on the “Forgot My Password” link.

DO SOME HOUSEKEEPING

Another hacker strategy element involves infiltrating your address book to ensnare more victims if they’re hacking your email, McAfee says.

Take immediate action by informing all your email contacts to avoid opening any suspicious emails, which likely contain malware and may appear to be from you.

It’s not unusual for hackers to tamper with your email settings, setting up automatic forwarding of all received emails to their accounts.

This grants them access to monitor your logins and sift through potentially sensitive personal information.

Therefore, it’s essential to thoroughly review your mail forwarding settings to ensure no unauthorized email addresses have been added.

Furthermore, double-check your email signature to ensure it hasn’t been altered to include spammy content.

Also, verify that your “reply to” email address is correct, as hackers may manipulate this field to divert replies to their account instead of yours.