Many people believe that scams only concern computers or online transactions. In reality, protection begins much earlier.

Every time we share personal information, create an online account, make a digital payment or respond to a message, we are making decisions that affect our security.

We do not need to approach every transaction with fear. However, we should act with caution, awareness and critical thinking.

💡 Remember

The best defence against fraud is not being suspicious of everyone.It is developing safe and sensible daily habits.

Our personal data is valuable information. The more details a fraudster gathers about us, the easier it becomes to deceive us or misuse our identity.

For this reason, we should:

• avoid sharing unnecessary personal information on social media;
• refrain from disclosing our date of birth, identity number or home address unless necessary;
• be cautious when completing online forms; and
• always understand who is requesting our information and why.

Before sharing personal information, we should ask ourselves whether it is genuinely necessary.

⚠️ Important: Even information that appears harmless can be combined with other details to support identity theft or make a scam appear more convincing.

Passwords are one of the first lines of defence protecting our accounts.

It is important to:

• use a different password for each important account;
• create strong passwords that are difficult to guess;
• enable two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever available; and
• never share passwords or one-time passwords (OTPs).

Two-factor authentication provides an additional layer of protection, even if someone manages to obtain our password.

It is not enough to check our bank accounts only when we are expecting a payment.

Good practice includes regularly reviewing:

• bank account activity;
• card transactions;
• subscriptions and online services we use; and
• mobile phone and other service provider bills.

The sooner we identify a transaction we do not recognise, the easier it is to limit any potential damage.

💡 Example:

Anna notices a small charge of only a few euros on her card that she does not recognise.

Instead of ignoring it, she contacts her bank immediately.

The payment turns out to be a test transaction performed by fraudsters who had obtained her card details. Her card is blocked promptly, helping to prevent more serious financial losses.

Our mobile phones, tablets and computers contain a significant part of our personal and financial lives.

For this reason, we should:

• secure our devices with a PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition;
• install available security updates;
• avoid carrying out sensitive transactions through public Wi-Fi networks; and

create backups of important files.

Most scams rely on pressure and a sense of urgency.

Whenever someone pressures us to make an immediate payment, disclose personal information or make a rapid decision, we should stop and assess the situation carefully.

Just a few minutes of reflection can prevent a significant financial loss.

✔️ We protect our personal information.
✔️ We use strong and unique passwords.
✔️ We enable two-factor authentication (2FA).
✔️ We regularly review our bank accounts and transactions.
✔️ We protect our devices and keep them updated.
✔️ We never make important financial decisions under pressure.

👉 What’s next...

Our daily habits form the first line of defence against fraud.

In the next article, we will explore how to protect our personal and financial information during important life events, such as moving home or changing jobs, and how to manage important personal documents securely.

🔗Useful Links:

• Protecting Our Personal and Financial Information
• What We Do When We Suspect Financial Fraud
• Protecting Our Family and Vulnerable Individuals
• After a Scam: Recovery, Support and What to Do Next