Digital Safety Newsletter
Your trusted companion for navigating the digital world safely
📢 Current Scam Alert
Medicare Card Replacement Scam
There has been a rise in phone calls claiming to be from Medicare, saying you need a new card. The callers request your Medicare number, banking information, and sometimes even your Social Security number.
What to know: Medicare will NEVER call you unsolicited to issue a new card. They communicate through official mail, not phone calls.
What to do: If you receive such a call, hang up immediately. If concerned about your Medicare card, call the official Medicare number at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
🔐 Digital Safety Tip of the Week
Creating Memorable, Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are your first line of defense online. Here's a simple method to create passwords that are both strong and easy to remember:
- Start with a phrase you can remember, like "I first visited Chicago in 2010"
- Use the first letter of each word: "IfvCi2010"
- Add special characters: "!fvCi2010#"
Remember to use different passwords for different accounts, especially for banking and email.
Watch Our Password Tutorial💻 Tech Term of the Week
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
What it means: Two-Factor Authentication is an extra layer of security for your online accounts. When enabled, it requires both your password AND a second verification method (usually a code sent to your phone).
Why it matters: Even if someone discovers your password, they still can't access your account without access to your phone or email for the second verification step. It's like having both a key and an alarm code for your house.
Where to use it: Enable 2FA on important accounts like email, banking, and social media. Most services offer this in their security settings.
👵 Community Success Story
How Mira Avoided a Gift Card Scam
Mira Patel received a text message claiming to be from her grandson saying he was in trouble and needed gift cards urgently.
"The message looked like it came from my grandson. It said he was in trouble and needed me to buy $500 in gift cards. But I remembered from SafeFollow's newsletter that family members asking for gift cards is a common scam tactic. I called my grandson directly on his regular number and confirmed he was fine. SafeFollow saved me from losing $500!"
Remember: Always verify requests for money by calling your family member directly on their known phone number, not the number that texted you.
📱 Upcoming Free Webinar
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"Staying Safe on Facebook: Privacy Settings Made Simple"
Learn how to control who sees your posts, how to recognize suspicious friend requests, and how to spot fake news.
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