{"id":97579,"date":"2025-10-10T06:06:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T10:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?p=97579"},"modified":"2025-09-26T16:11:49","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T20:11:49","slug":"fraud-watch-credit-repair-scams-2-2-2-2-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?p=97579","title":{"rendered":"Fraud Watch- Cybersecurity Awareness Month"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2025-Communications-Logo.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"256\" height=\"300\" data-attachment-id=\"96331\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?attachment_id=96331\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2025-Communications-Logo.jpg?fit=568%2C666&amp;ssl=1&amp;ver=1778837567\" data-orig-size=\"568,666\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"2025 Communications Logo\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2025-Communications-Logo.jpg?fit=568%2C666&amp;ssl=1&amp;ver=1778837567\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2025-Communications-Logo.jpg?resize=256%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"MSG Communications Resources Logo\" class=\"wp-image-96331\" style=\"width:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2025-Communications-Logo.jpg?resize=256%2C300&amp;ssl=1 256w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mainestategrange.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2025-Communications-Logo.jpg?w=568&amp;ssl=1 568w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 256px) 85vw, 256px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reprinted with permission from AARP&#8217;s Fraud Watch Network.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month \u2013 a great time to remind ourselves just how much of our lives take place online and the potential threats that exist in the digital world. Any device that stores information or connects to the internet could become a target for cybercriminals seeking to steal your data. Here are four important ways to help stay safe online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, always use strong, unique passwords for each online account you own. Even better, investigate options for getting a free or low-cost password manager such as Bitwarden, Dashlane, LastPass, and others. Newer to the marketplace are passkeys that offer hope that we can move beyond passwords. They verify a user with a biometric (like facial or fingerprint recognition) tied to the device being used to gain access. You can read more about them at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/personal-technology\/passkeys-future\">aarp.org\/personal-technology\/passkeys-future.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Second, set up multi-factor authentication when available as added security that goes beyond your username and password to verify that it\u2019s you using your account or device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Third, turn on automatic software updates to keep your devices up-to-date and secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And finally, know that it&#8217;s no longer safe to click on links from emails, texts, and online ads. Instead, type web addresses into your browser to ensure you aren\u2019t sent to a copycat site and stick to sites you know and trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-dark-gray-color has-yellow-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-small-font-size has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/news-events\/news\/4-things-you-can-do-keep-yourself-cyber-safe\" style=\"border-radius:50px\">More Topic Resources<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.aarp.org\/fraudwatchnetwork\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aarp.org\/fraudwatchnetwork<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-separator uagb-block-6c6a120f\"><div class=\"uagb-separator-spacing-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-uagb-separator__inner\" style=\"--my-background-image:\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-info-box uagb-block-8433a68b uagb-infobox__content-wrap  uagb-infobox-icon-above-title uagb-infobox-image-valign-top\"><div class=\"uagb-ifb-content\"><div class=\"uagb-ifb-title-wrap\"><h2 class=\"uagb-ifb-title\"> AARP Fraud Watch Network<\/h2><\/div><p class=\"uagb-ifb-desc\">Need a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/forms\/me-speakers-bureau-request-form.html?testing=fdsafdsa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">scam prevention speaker<\/a> for your group? Click the link to fill out the AARP online form or email <a href=\"mailto:me@aarp.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">me@aarp.org<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month \u2013 a great time to remind ourselves just how much of our lives take place online and the potential threats that exist in the digital world. Any device that stores information or connects to the internet could become a target for cybercriminals seeking to steal your data. Here are &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?p=97579\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Fraud Watch- Cybersecurity Awareness Month&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2122,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4,218],"tags":[508,506,272,507],"post_folder":[509],"class_list":["post-97579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-community-service","category-resources-for-granges-and-grangers","tag-aarp-fraud-watch","tag-fraud-alert","tag-grange-communication","tag-scam-alert"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"post-thumbnail":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Walter Boomsma","author_link":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/?author=2122"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month \u2013 a great time to remind ourselves just how much of our lives take place online and the potential threats that exist in the digital world. Any device that stores information or connects to the internet could become a target for cybercriminals seeking to steal your data. Here are&hellip;","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1arC1-pnR","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2122"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=97579"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97664,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97579\/revisions\/97664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=97579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=97579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=97579"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mainestategrange.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fpost_folder&post=97579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}