UMGC Global Media Center
UMGC Cyber Faculty Offer Tips for Combating Scams

To raise awareness of government imposter scams spreading across the country, the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General has designated Thursday, March 7, as National Slam the Scam Day.  In conjunction with the consumer protection effort, two University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) cybersecurity experts have released their Top 10 Tips for detecting and defeating online fraud.

Patrick Appiah-Kubi, program director of Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity & Computer Networking, and James Robertson, program director of Cyber DevOps, pooled their advice to keep consumers keep cyber safe against all imposters. Their top tips:

1. Do not open emails from people you don't know, and always verify the source of the email before you open it, especially If there is an attachment.
   
   
2. In addition to emails, don't trust text messages or phone calls unless you have absolutely verified the source and you are expecting the message or call.
   
   
3. Use the hover technique (letting your cursor hover over a link without clicking) to preview the destination of a link before you click.
   
   
4. Correspondence that appears to be urgent and suggests a credential is required from you quickly is a red flag. Don’t click on that link or download that attachment.
   
   
5. Be careful with links and new website addresses. If possible, turn on your virtual private network (VPN) and website filter.
   
   
6. Secure the personal information you keep on your computer. Put security codes on files that contain sensitive information.
   
   
7. Stay informed about the latest cyber scams. Consider subscribing to news updates on cyber threats.
   
   
8. Use strong passwords that are difficult to guess. Don’t repeat passwords for multiple accounts and don’t use passwords that contain words related to you.
   
   
9. Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs. Ensure you have updated anti-virus software [MD1] on your PC.
   
   
10. Offers that sound too good to be true probably are. Avoid them.

Slam the Scam is part of National Consumer Protection Week, which runs from March 3 to 9.