SIMPLE TIPS TO STOP HACKERS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

Social media

There has been report of Pictures and Videos leaking on the internet. Many people have complained of their private conversations, pictures and videos being posted out. This is the work of Hackers. Hackers have increased over time and are causing a lot of worry.

There have been several tips given to avoid such mishap. Here are a few to keep you and your data secure if your data has been compromised. Here is a quick rundown of the steps you need to follow to secure your online presence.

facebook

FACEBOOK

Something I found fascinating on Facebook is “Login Verification” and alerts but there are a bunch of additional options; one is setting trusted contacts (these are the people who can help you get access to your account if you get locked out) and you can see which browsers and apps you are signed in from.

One very useful feature you will find in the security settings page is ‘where you logged in’. That is, you forget to sign out on any device you last signed in. You can use this option to sign out from any devices- just click the link that says “End Activity”. If you head to the help page, Facebook offers a handy wizard- style security checkup that will show you old logins, let you sign out with one click, review your alerts and give you password tips.

INSTAGRAM

 Instagram seem to be another platform where Hackers can easily gain access to your photos. You might not want everyone in the world to see and comment on your Instagram photos. If you want only those who follow you see your photos, there is a simple way you to make your Instagram account private, this includes sending your photos directly to a contact on your Instagram account even new followers will require approval from you.

The other security feature you should activate is Manual Photo Tagging. Go to the Instagram profile section and tap on the Photo of you which is the last icon below your bio, tap on the menu button on top right and select tagging options. Here you can enable ‘Add Manually’- this will prevent you from being tagged in unwanted photos.

You have given third- party apps access to your Instagram account. To manage these apps, you will need to login to Instagram on a computer and select ‘Edit Profile’. In the settings page that opens up, you will see Manage Applications section where you can revoke access for unwanted apps.

WHATSAPP

One of the best thing about WhatsApp now is the end- to –end encryption to secure your chats.

Encryption is the most effective way to achieve data security. To read an Encrypted file, you must have access to a secret key or password that enables you to decrypt it. Believe me when I say NO ONE will be able to access your chats when encryption is on. Fortunately, encryption on WhatsApp is by default.

Unfortunately, the most common mishap is losing your phone. Anyone with the phone can impersonate you to extract funds from your contacts. He/She will have full access to your WhatsApp account which may include photo, videos, personal information and messages. To prevent this, lock WhatsApp with a PIN, mind you, third-party apps will be needed to do this.

In case of theft of phone with an unlocked WhatsApp account, get a new SIM immediately and use it to register with WhatsApp on another device, this will instantly deactivate WhatsApp on the other phone.

 

TWITTER

Apart from changing your password often, one of the easiest things you can do to secure your Twitter account is to use “Login Verification”.

Once you sign in to Twitter on a computer, from your profile icon drop down menu, click Settings and then Security & Privacy Settings.

Before you can use login verification, you will need to confirm your email ID.

You can use the iOS or Android app to complete the process. Once in a while, also head to Twitter’s settings page and click Apps. In the Apps, you can check which Apps and devices have access to your account.

Some may be from a couple of years ago on older devices, you should revoke access to the ones you no longer use or recognize.

There are other means of keeping your devices safe for example, phone trackers, back ups and most importantly,

“LOCK YOUR PHONES”

MY PRIVACY REMAINS PRIVATE

The frustration of finding out your identity has been stolen

I can never imagine I’d see Mrs. Tyler this scared as she clutches the Paper tightly in her left hand closely holding onto her chest , gasping for her dear life. I had to shake myself from the shock as I looked at the woman standing in front of me.This can not be the same woman who walks and the whole house shook. I grabbed the paper to look at what was written on it, I simply could not believe my eyes as I scanned through. Apparently someone had used Mrs Tyler’s identity, made large purchases in her name, taken bank loans and closed her account, leaving her in the lurch to clean up the mess they left. I sat her down gently and told her exactly what I tried telling her a year ago.

The theft of stolen identity has grown in bounds, several people have complained that their accounts are being debited without them knowing about it, others claim their names and information have been stolen and used by strangers. Its a growing concern, with the information the Internet has about your financial and identity information, however, there are several steps that can make it more secure, thereby making it harder to go after you than someone else who may be a much easier target.

Every bank and institution that have every personal information have policies and regulations to either opt-in to allow your info be shared with other companies, or to give you the option of opt-ing out. This data, including your name, address, age and other personal details, like credit rating, or educational background, is often shared with 3rd party companies for marketing, targeted advertising, or can simply be resold to other companies. Make sure you contact any institution or company, like banks, schools, etc, and request that it be kept private – the fewer companies that have access to any of your personal information, the better.

Most major accounts, specifically banks, credit card companies and public utilities like telephone or hydro services can have a password or pin number put on the account that you have to verbally relay over the phone before effecting any changes or retrieving any information – often, the phone conversation with these firms will begin with the request of that PIN and confirmation of your address before they will answer any questions whatsoever. Its important that you proactively call any companies with which you have an account and request a password on your account to help protect you from having unwanted information shared.

Most major accounts, specifically banks, credit card companies and public utilities like telephone services can have a password or pin number put on the account that you have to verbally relay over the phone before effecting any changes or retrieving any information – often, the phone conversation with these firms will begin with the request of that PIN and confirmation of your address before they will answer any questions whatsoever.

Destroy all documents that has all your personal information.

You need to destroy anything with any account number or personal info before throwing it away or recycling it. Many banks or institutions will accept an original bill with your name and address as a form of identification for creating a new account, so it can be as valuable to a thief as your driver’s license when creating an account in your name. By destroying it, you not only stop them from being able to do this, but you can still recycle the paper.

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PERSONAL SECURITY

PERSONAL SECURITY.

There will be situations where you will need to help yourself when in danger

PERSONAL SECURITY

Not everyone can afford a body guard

When Personal Security is mentioned, the first thing that pops into mind is a “Body Guard”. Personal security means more that simply hiring a bodyguard to keep you company and to be there whenever you are in trouble.To be honest, unless you have money to spare; most of us can’t afford a full-time bodyguard when we’re trying to live our lives. It can take more than just a dabble of observation to really feel confident in all situations. A concerted effort can be made, though, to keep you safe in most situations.

For when you are out, you would want to make sure that you don’t make yourself a target – people that appear to be observant and aware of their surroundings and what they are doing are far less likely to become victims of personal crime. This means, don’t show off jewelry, don’t be flashy with money, and don’t give out your address or phone number unless you know who you’re giving it to and are prepared to have them keep that information. Stay on well-lit streets at night, and stay with a group whenever possible while traveling on foot, otherwise take a licensed cab to avoid walking around altogether. In general, use common sense whether you are alone or in groups.

Passwords of all kinds need to be protected. Not only for your computer at work or email account, but your bank code, PIN number or phone calls, anything that requires a password. Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed to cover your hand with your wallet or free hand while punching in a code and hunching in towards the ATM to block unwanted eyes is a good thing.

Carrying a personal defense tool, like pepper spray, can buy you some time to escape in sticky situations

Carrying a personal defense tool, like pepper spray, can buy you some time to escape in sticky situations, however, a better alternative is to learn one of the many martial arts of self-defense. Judo, jujitsu or aikido, for example, can be incredibly empowering to the individual, and they give you confidence in your daily life while allowing you to defend yourself when the need arises.

If you have any diagnosed medical conditions or allergies, it can be virtually a

Bracelet will speak for you when you are unable to speak for yourself

requirement to have at a minimum a medical bracelet that identifies those concerns, as the bracelet will speak for you when you are unable to speak for yourself. People who live with a medical condition that affects their mobility should consider an emergency response system for their home. An unfortunate truth is that most accidents happen in the home, so be prepared to allow a way to call for help.

MONEY MINDED………….

Imagine you have purchased an important item at the Mall and you do not have cash on you, but you are happy you came with your ATM and the Cashier tells you you have less or no money on the card…………..frustrating right?

It is normal for you to try to keep all aspect of your life safe from harm or keeping

It can be frustrating when those Cards starts bouncing

yourself away from every form of vulnerability.  Major aspect of someone’s life, one of which is often overlooked for the potential vulnerability, is their finances. You find less money than you thought you should have in your account and check your history, or you get a call from your credit card company asking if you have been traveling recently to somewhere you’ve never been. You can increase your own comfort level by becoming more familiar with the financial side of your life.

It may sound like common sense, but you should still always shelter your hand as you enter your banking code, even by blocking the keypad with your body if you need to. Also, make sure you choose a PIN that is not easily associated with your name, address, phone number or birth date – the more random it is, the more difficult it would be to guess from your personal info, or your family’s. Check your bank and credit card statements monthly for fraudulent transactions – if you don’t act immediately, it will be difficult to have them removed. A recent adaptation to the theft of credit card numbers is on the back of every card – here’s a 3 digit code on all new credit cards which is becoming more commonly required when making online purchases and should never be required by any shopping done in-person or over the phone. Even something as simple as a purchases delivered to your door could turn into a fraudulent act by someone stealing this code, so always keep your card in your possession or within eyesight and arm’s reach. If you are ever in doubt, call your account manager or bank for assistance.

Endeavor to keep hard-copy records of all of your assets, investments and transactions and bill payments not only in case you lose the electronic info, but if there is ever a disagreement, you can pull out your paper copies to help straighten things out. It is not uncommon for someone to find out that they had forgotten about a small investment and lost track of it completely until the bank called them back several years later. Granted, this is a nice surprise, but not all surprises are nice.

Of course, financial security also means taking care of your future and long term financial health. Diversify your investments, follow the Wealthy Barber principal of saving at least a small portion of your paycheck every month. By putting aside a small amount of savings off of every paycheck, the long term power of compound interest can turn these small investments into a long term security blanket.

FOR MY CHILD

As your family grows, so does the responsibility of a parent to protect their family and their children. No child has the wisdom to look out for themselves or the judgment to protect themselves.

One of the best thing is to have them memorize their first and last names as they grow older, even your phone number and street address, in case they get lost. Teach them the basics things like, look both ways before crossing the street, don’t talk to strangers, never take candy from a stranger – these phrases are all rooted in a common sense need. Also, teach them to trust police officers and rescue personnel – in an emergency, your children will need to know who they can trust.

Have an emergency plan and hold a family meeting annually to review it so that everybody knows what to do

In the home, have an emergency plan and hold a family meeting annually to review it so that everybody knows what to do. Have a list handy in the kitchen by the phone, as this is a room where people spend the majority of the day in or near, and keep track of emergency phone numbers for police, fire, relatives to contact, etc. In your plan, include escape routes in case of fire or burglary, and a place to stay, like a nearby hotel, and a central phone number to call to check in, like a relative, a neighbor, or the police. A plan like this needs to be reviewed annually, so make every New Year’s Day, for example, your Family Plan day – if your children are young, get them involved, they may not appreciate it but you will be building a good habit, if they are older, you are giving them the tools to think properly under pressure and setting them up for success as an adult.

Train your children to demand a password before allowing themselves to be picked up by anyone other than Mommy or Daddy.

A family password is also a good idea – This is required as at a point in time, you may need to send a friend, your personal assistant or someone they really do not know to pick them up when you are unable to – train your children to demand a password before allowing themselves to be picked up by anyone other than Mommy or Daddy. Unless the password is given, they should yell, make a scene, and seek out a teacher or security personnel. This password can be something as simple as a favorite movie title, word or your kids favorite toy name but it will comfort your child knowing that they are safe, and will comfort you knowing that they won’t allow themselves to walk away without causing a fuss.

As you arrive, plan on a place where everyone should meet if someone gets lost. Keep your children in sight.

Holidays can still bring the same sense to bear – in busier places, like summer fairs or shopping malls during the Christmas holiday season, be extra vigilant, and as you arrive, plan on a place where everyone should meet if someone gets lost. Keep your children in sight.

TRAVELS/TRAVAILS?

The stress of traveling could take its toll on you, you would want to avoid it at all cost in order to enjoy your vacation.

Travel stress

The emergence of pimple after the stress could lead to another headache. You would not want to be always conscious or afraid of traveling, however, a few extra seconds of vigilance can save you hours of frustration.

Before you decide on that date to leave, conduct a bit of research on your destination. This means some of the major roadways, public transit lines, landmarks, and pictures from the area – three to four different sources of information will give you enough overall detail to know some of the area and some of the dangers, as every area have its own peculiarity. By knowing where you’re going, you will seem more confident and a little less of a target.

Look into the local norms, laws and customs, as some countries have very different expectations of what is socially and culturally acceptable. Not only by following these customs, you will not stick out as much as an obvious “tourist”, but some behavior accepted in other countries, like drinking, smoking, or even your fashion statement, could be cause for arrest. Ultimately, the local laws always prevail, regardless of what you may like or think. Fortunately, when you respect their custom or tradition, it serves to show as respect for their law.

As you arrive, check in immediately with your hotel or go directly to  the place you are suppose to stay during your vacation before you can go site seeing even if you’re excited about being in a tropical paradise, shopping is no fun carrying an armful of suitcases and you are just begging for a problem with anybody.  Every country, no matter how civilized, has its own criminal elements and helpful locals, If you have any doubts as to the level of violence where you are traveling, check in with the local authorities or your country’s consulate, ensure you carry their address and phone number with you as you travel.

If traveling with children, ensure they stay close to you at all time. Do not give them any valuable thing to hold onto, this is because they could easily be lured to surrender what they have. Apart from that, children can easily be abducted and asked to be ransomed especially in a strange country.

To avoid being robbed, you could carry little wallet that carries very little cash and no credit cards in case you run into a problem, hide your money stash in a money belt or even in your sock. Use your hotel room’s safe or the hotel’s safety deposit box for any larger sums of money or valuables when you are away from your room, keep a copy of all of your travel documents for backup – traveler’s check receipts, passport, flight itinerary, etc. While it’s not likely that they would be valuable to someone else, it may be helpful if you lose your original copy.

WHERE’S YOUR CAR?

There are few people who could resist a nice shopping spree; especially when its FREE!. you are relaxed and in control of what you get. if you are lucky it would go without a hitch; the ones whose luck run out………….well…….with a bit of information, you can avoid potential pitfall and still  return to your car safe and sound. Here are some you can easily do yourself.

• Firstly, ensure you park your car at the right place, you would not want to be embarrassed if you find out your car was towed would you?

• Lock your car and close your windows, you would be surprised at the number of cars that are picked easily and unlocked without keys.

• Use a theft deterrence device, like a steering wheel locking device, or a car alarm with the stickers or decals on your driver’s side window.

• It is better to keep your windows shut, since it only takes a few minutes with them open to air out the car.
• Know what you can leave in your car and what to take with you. Purses, briefcases and backpacks are tempting since they usually hold things of value, are very portable, and are usually generic enough that no one would think they are out of place walking away from your car, so take them with you.
• Hide anything that you leave behind, either underneath one of the car seats or in the trunk.
• Park in a safe place: well-lit parking spots leave your car much more visible than a spot hidden away in a dark corner. The closer you park to pedestrian traffic, like the entrance to a mall, the more witnesses to scare someone off from trying to break in.
• Fee-based parking lots are considered safer, since they are usually video monitored or staffed.

• When you are ready to leave for the day, keep an eye open and watch your car as you approach for anyone hanging around. Have your car keys ready, glance in the rear seats before you jump in, and then lock the door once you are in the car.

Go back into the shop or mall if you see anything suspicious and call the attention of any security body around.

SIMPLY KEEPING SAFE IN WORSHIP

Simply because places of worship is considered a place where “everyone and anyone is welcomed”, there are usually no or little means of identification required.

Just because its a church does not mean you should not invest in Modern Security gadgets such as Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, Scanners. etc.

Officials of these places are advised to carry out risk assessment and vulnerability surveys. this will enable them determine the level of risk they are exposed to. Factors to be considered in carrying out such assessments include, Location of the place of worship, analysis of its neighborhood demography, size and architectural design, population of the members, nature of access roads to the place, etc.

Members should establish Standard Security and Safety Committee, members should be volunteers with impeccable background and a passion for safety and security. proper vetting and background checks which is also known as Follow-up must be carried out  on all prospective members to avoid infiltration by enemies.

PROPER BACKGROUND CHECKS SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT ON ALL PROSPECTIVE MEMBER.

They may consider the options of organizing constant trainings, workshops and seminars for committee members.

Worship centers in restive areas must avoid the temptation of isolating themselves from the public or their host community. they must avoid the ” fortress mentality”. They are encouraged  to go into the society and play positive roles in solving the problems of the community and changing the society for good. they must build bridges and build bonds.

They should strive to build strong relationship with local security agencies (Police, Military, Fire service etc) and encourage seamless flow of information between themselves and the agencies.

MY POLLING CENTRE

                 Polling units are locations where Electoral processes like voting, vote-counting etc take place. When the time for proceeding come you would see representatives of contenders at hand to observe what is being done, clamoring for votes to be cast for their party; this ought not be. Every activity that has to do with securing votes should have been done during campaigns.

The struggle for votes is one of the problems you face on Election Day; the environment becomes tensed when you want to cast your vote for fear of hearing uproar or screams in the next moment. Voters tend to heave a sigh of relief once they have cast their votes and gone to their homes.

Polling Units tend to be tensed.

You do not have to be a part of the raucous; here are steps to cast your votes peacefully without a bruise.

• It is advisable to select a Polling Unit close to your area of residence due to the restricted movement on election days.
• Follow every rule of election to the T.
• Make sure you are up to the required age of 18 before you can vote for anyone.

Ensure you are of age before going to polling centers.

• Ensure you bring your voting cards to the venue.
• Do not be pressurized to vote for a particular candidate who is not your choice.
• It is better you avoid looking  into the eye f anyone will casting your vote.
• You should leave the venue immediately you are done at the polling booth.
• Leave for your home immediately if you can not wait for the result of the number of votes cast.