The Better Business Bureau (BBB) recently has suggested that with your Spring cleaning, one should consider cleaning up the old data on their devices as well. According to the BBB Scam Tracker, more than 1,300 were reported in 2021.
A St Louis man, last month in March, reported losing $15,000 as part of a scam, where a scammer posed as a representative from a well-known anti-virus service. The scam also involved cryptocurrency, and more information on these types of fraud can be seen here.
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Tech experts recommend four ways to keep your computer safe and running optimally:
- Clean up old files: Go through all installed software on your computer and uninstall or remove the programs you no longer want or need. You also should delete files you no longer need.
- Update your computer: Install updates to your computer’s operating systems and your software as soon as they become available. Your computer should notify you of available updates. You also can search for software updates for your accessories, such as printers and routers, by going to the support area of those devices’ websites and searching for “firmware update.”
- Back up your files: It’s critical to back up important files on a regular basis in case of theft, fire, viruses or a damaging power surge. This includes irreplaceable digital photos, documents, email addresses, calendar items, web bookmarks and more. You can use a local solution like a USB flash drive or external hard drive, keeping it in a safe place, or you can use a cloud solution like Google Drive.
- Keep your computer secure: Be sure to use virus protection or cybersecurity software to safeguard your computer from viruses, spyware, hackers, scams and more.
For assistance, go to BBB.org or call 888-996-3887. Report any scams to BBB Scam Tracker at BBB.org/scamtracker.
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