FROM: FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, CONSUMERS
FTC Advises Consumers on Preventing, Identifying, and Dealing With Hacked Email or Social Networking Accounts
The Federal Trade Commission has new tips to help people deal with email and social networking hacks, whether it’s lessening the chances of a hack in the first place, or recovering from a hack once it happens.
Hacked Email, new guidance from the FTC, identifies signs an account may have been hacked such as friends and family members receiving messages the user did not send, a sent folder emptied, social media posts the user did not create, or email or other accounts the user can’t open.
If consumers think they have been hacked, the FTC encourages them to take the following actions:
Make sure security software is up-to-date and delete malware;
Change passwords;
Check with their email provider or social networking site for information about restoring the account;
Check account settings; and
Tell your friends.
Using unique passwords for important sites like banking and email and safeguarding user names and passwords can help users protect themselves from hackers. The FTC recommends users turn on two-factor authentication if a service provider offers it; not click on links or open attachments from unknown users; and only download free software from sites a user knows and trusts. When using a public computer, do not let web browsers remember passwords, and log out of all accounts when finished.
