Technology

IRS Warning – Don’t Take the Bait! | What to Know About Cyber Phishing

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Tax season has arrived, and cyber criminals are hanging out the “Gone Phishing” signs. “Phishing” scams prey on a broad group of victims with the intention of snagging just a few. Criminals pose as familiar, trusted individuals in order to obtain sensitive information that can be used to file fraudulent tax returns. When a specific group of victims is targeted – such as tax professionals – the scam is known as “spear phishing”. A spear phishing attack begins with an innocent-looking email. The criminal usually baits the hook by using a familiar phrase in the subject line, such as “Tax...
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Email Scams – What to Do When It Happens to You

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Falling for an email scam – known as phishing – can happen to even the most vigilant Web user. Cyber criminals continue to up the ante with ever more sophisticated scams, so it’s not really a question of IF it will happen to you, but rather WHEN it will happen, and HOW you will respond to the threat. Follow these steps to help protect your online interactions. Change Passwords If you have provided any personal information or passwords in response to a phishing scam change ALL your passwords immediately. This includes email accounts, online accounts, bank accounts and debit card...
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Protect Yourself from Scams

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We see it in the news every week – some unsuspecting grandmother tries to withdraw money from an imposter ATM, and instead of getting cash, she loses her life savings as scammers clean out her bank account. “That would never happen to me!” you think – until you become the victim of a “faceless” crime. You won’t even know it is happening until it’s too late. As technology becomes more sophisticated, so do the schemes of those who seek to steal your hard earned savings. A little awareness now can save you a whole lot of time, money and aggravation...
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National Cyber Security Awareness Month

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Happy #CyberSecurityAwareness Month! October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month and we want to help you stay safe online. Don’t let yourself become a victim of ID Theft, fraud or cybercrime. There are many aspects to cybersecurity and they can all have an impact on your financial well-being. Whether you’re managing your bills online, online shopping or simply checking your email, there are steps you can take to ensure that your information stays safe. Check out https://staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/managing-your-privacy/  for everything you need to know about Cyber Security Awareness Month, tips and resources that will help protect you and your family from...
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Total Solar Eclipse 2017 – Why it’s a BIG Deal

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By now you’ve heard a lot of noise about the Great American Solar Eclipse that will happen on August 21st. Chirpy newscasters across the country have modeled the ever-so-stylish eclipse-protection eyewear, and travel sites are promoting remote cabins in the wilderness from which to achieve the best view of the celestial event. There’s a lot of hype surrounding this astronomic occurrence, but really, what’s the big deal? Timing is Everything Why is this eclipse so significant? This is the first total eclipse that will move across the entire United States since June of 1918. Eclipse chasers, known as umbraphiles (roughly...
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ID Theft vs Fraud : What’s the Difference?

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Giant Corporation Database Hacked! Customer Accounts Compromised! Personal Information at Risk! With unsettling regularity we learn about massive security breaches of government or corporate databases, with the potential to reveal sensitive personal information. The probability of ID theft or financial damage is almost certain, but how do we protect ourselves? In this digital age, where hackers seem to be one step ahead of cyber security, CAN we protect our confidential data? The answer is yes, but understanding the options is critical to making the right protection decisions. ID theft generally occurs when a security breach happens. Thieves may use this...
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(Not So) Happy Holiday Shopping Scams

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It’s that time of the year – the gift giving holidays have arrived! And while you are merrily surfing the web in search of the perfect gift for your BFF, cyber thieves are merrily attempting to steal your identity. There’s no faster way to take the ho-ho out of holiday than to discover you are the victim of cybercrime and your bank account is empty. Achieva wants to help prevent that from happening to you this year. Here are some easy ways to protect yourself from being victimized online. Avoid Phishing If you are a heavy email user, you are...
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Is it Finally Time to Ditch Cable TV?

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A recent study from the Liechtman Research Group reported that the average monthly cable TV bill is $99.10, a whopping 39% increase since 2010. When you add in taxes, fees, and equipment costs, it doesn’t take long for that number to balloon to $150 or even $200 a month. With all of the various entertainment options available today, it may be time to strongly reconsider shelling out that kind of cash every month for traditional subscription-based programming. For a small investment of around $100, you can purchase a Roku, Apple TV, or similar device and begin streaming online content directly...
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What the EMV?!

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Most people understand what the acronyms OMG, SMH, and LOL mean. But what about EMV? You may have heard of EMV, and possibly have seen new EMV readers at retailers, but what exactly is it? More importantly, why should you care? EMV stands for Europay, MasterCard, Visa (the three companies that developed the technology) and is a new security feature embedded in ATM, debit, and credit cards. Instead of the old method of storing your information on a magnetic stripe, EMV cards store your information on a “chip”, which is a small integrated circuit. EMV cards are not “swiped” at...
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How Technology is Redefining Banking

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Don’t let new technology leave you in the dust! Products are advancing faster than ever, and it is our job to keep up – or get left behind. Much of this technology is slated drastically change the way we go about our day-to-day-lives and activities. With so many new avenues changing, some people may become overwhelmed at the idea of becoming familiar – and eventually experts – with so much new technology. So when it comes to banking, we want to give you a peek on what new technology you really should be focusing on. More focus on mobile and online According to...
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