additional layer of protection. Review your financial transactions weekly or every other week and report anything unfamiliar immediately. Protect your smartphone. If your phone offers fingerprint or facial recognition, turn it on. Consider sending calls from unknown numbers directly to voicemail. Be especially cautious with unsolicited text messages, including messages that appear to come from businesses you know. If you think a message may be legitimate, contact the organization using a phone number or website you already know is authentic. Sign out of financial and payment apps when you are not using them. Secure your computer and email. Turn on twofactor authentication for financial, utility and other important online accounts. Consider using passkeys when available. Keep antivirus software up to date, and be cautious about email attachments and links. Mark unwanted messages as spam, and never open attachments from people or businesses you do not completely trust. Limit what you share on social media. Set your social media accounts to private so only people you know can view your information. Never accept friend requests from strangers or respond to unexpected messages. Be aware that scammers may create fake profiles pretending to be friends or family members. Be careful when shopping online. Double-check website addresses before entering payment information. Scammers sometimes create websites with addresses that differ from legitimate sites by only one letter. Avoid saving your credit card information on numerous retail or restaurant websites when possible, and consider using a secure payment service. Never pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency or gold. Legitimate businesses and government agencies will not demand payment in gift cards, cryptocurrency, gold bars or prepaid debit cards. Scammers prefer these payment methods because they can be difficult to trace or reverse. If someone demands one of these forms of payment, stop and verify the request independently. 22 Have a sounding board. Consider identifying someone you trust who can serve as a financial sounding board. Before making a large purchase, transferring money or responding to an unexpected financial request, talk it over with someone you trust. Taking a few extra minutes can prevent a costly mistake. Most importantly, remember that you are under no obligation to respond to unexpected calls, emails or texts. Let unknown calls go to voicemail. If someone gets through and pressures you, simply say, “I do not do business over the phone. Goodbye,” and hang up. Trust your instincts. If something doesn’t sound right, take your time, verify the information independently and talk to someone you trust before taking action. We would like to thank AARP for much of the information included in this bulletin. On behalf of your Lake Ashton Neighborhood Watch Team, have a safe and secure end of summer. PEAK STORM SEASON Residents should be prepared for stormy weather through November 30 when hurricane season ends. A detailed list of storm tips can be found on lakeashtoncdd.com. Pay attention to the lightning detection devices throughout the community and seek shelter when the sirens sound. photo: Dennis Krupinski
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