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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2020)
The Columbia Press November13, 2020 7 Financial Focus Senior Moments with Adam Miller with Emma Edwards Just call me Mrs. Malaprop Protect your finances from cyberthieves Today is Friday, the 13, which may or may not mean anything to you. But, just in case, have a happy Friday the 13, and don’t walk under any ladders, don’t break any mir- rors, don’t spill any salt, don’t open an umbrella indoors, don’t pick up a penny facing down, and don’t let a black cat cross your path! If you are one of those who dread such a date on the cal- endar, it’s interesting to note that there are never more than three Friday the 13ths in any year. Why? For mathematical gurus, the answer is that in some years it’s affected by leap year, which is the case to- day. However, a more signif- icant factor is when a month begins on a Wednesday. Today, Friday the 13th falls exactly 39 (3 x 13) weeks before next year’s sole Fri- day the 13th on August 13, 2021. Why? You research it. It’s very interesting. John Wagner, creator of the Maxine cartoons, reminds us not to let aging get us down (it’s too hard to get back up!). Another thought to ponder: If we seniors are considered “senior citizens,” then should we refer to younger folk as “junior citizens?” It’s a good question. I think I speak for more than a few senior citizens that these are, perhaps, the best years of our lives. One thing I’ve noticed lately, which I attribute to my senior citizen status, is the misuse of common words. Some can be turned into a gentle laugh for all while others can cause embarrass- ment. There’s even a word for this, malapropism. I catch myself saying a totally wrong word in place of the right one. At times, it seems my name could be Mrs. Malaprop. Some examples from Wikipedia: “illiterate him from your memory” instead of “obliterate,” “he’s the very pineapple of politeness” instead of “pinnacle,” and “she’s as headstrong as an al- legory on the banks of the Nile” instead of “alligator.” And, by the way, we can just laugh or giggle if someone gently corrects us. Maybe we will have a good laugh and that’s so good for us! However, I caution you that we must be careful to laugh with and not at one of us se- niors if we use a malaprop. Sometimes we even catch it ourselves. We need to learn to laugh more. Someone once said, “So what if people think I am a few fries short of a Happy Meal or if another driver on the freeway doesn’t seem to have all his corn flakes in one box. Joy is free. And if we have a problem we can’t change, with the Lord’s help, we can turn it into something beautiful.” Yes, even when a black cat crosses our path. You’ve no doubt heard re- ports of personal data being stolen and used for financial fraud – anything from on- line shopping on your cred- it cards to actual theft from your financial accounts. The problem won’t go away any- time soon – but you can take steps to defend yourself. Here are a few suggestions: Use multifactor authenti- cation or other extra secu- rity options with online ac- counts. Many of your online accounts offer extra security by giving you the option to prove your identity in different ways. With mutifac- tor authentication, you must provide at least two different factors to prove your identi- ty when you log in to an ac- count. The additional layer of security provides you with much greater protection. Be creative with pass- words. Create different passwords for work, financial services sites, social me- dia and email – and give each password some length and complexity. Consider passphrases – actual words combined with symbols and numbers (for example, “Thi- sIsAPassphrase!2468”), for sites that allow them. Protect your computer and Special columns in The Columbia Press Every week: Senior Moments with Emma Edwards Week 1: Here’s to Your Health from CMH Week 2: Financial Focus with Adam Miller Week 3: Off the Shelf by Kelly Knudsen Final week: Mayor’s Message by Henry Balensifer your key data. Keep your antivirus software updated. And don’t install bootleg or unlicensed software, which could infect your computer with a virus. Also, back up your important data. Watch out for fake web- sites or apps. When making financial transactions, be sure you’re on the website of your bank or financial in- stitution – and not on a fake site established by hackers. Your financial statements should have the legitimate website, so bookmark it and use it when doing anything with your accounts. Also, be careful when downloading apps – stick with those from established providers such as Google Play or the App Store. Avoid “oversharing” on social media. Cyberthieves constantly stalk social media platforms for information they can use to commit their crimes. You can help stymie them by limiting what you share online. Keep your full name, ad- dress and birthday private. You might also avoid discuss- ing your plans for upcoming vacations. And review your privacy settings periodically so that only people you know or approve can see your in- formation. Limit use of public wifi. Hackers often set up their own wifi networks in public areas, such as the computers found in hotel business centers. Ask an em- ployee for the name of the le- gitimate network. And even when you use it, log off when you’re finished. Don’t take the bait of “phishers.” Cyberthieves go “phishing” for sensitive information – usernames, passwords and account num- bers – by sending texts and emails purporting to be from a business or financial insti- tution with which you often do business. They may claim your account was “suspend- ed” or that an “unauthorized transaction” was made, and you’ll be asked to click on a link that takes you to what appears to be the company’s website. If you go along with this request, you could find ma- licious software being down- loaded on your computer. Legitimate businesses gen- erally won’t ask for account numbers or passwords unless you initiate the transaction. Other signs of phishing in- clude threatening language, “urgent” requests, misspelled words or odd word choices. If an email looks suspicious, delete it without opening it. This list is not exhaustive, but by putting these steps to work, you can at least reduce the risk of becoming victim- ized by cybercriminals. This article was written by Edward Jones and submit- ted by Adam Miller, financial advisor at the Astoria office, 632A W. Marine Drive. To reach him, call 503-325-7991. Visit our website! t hecolumbiapress.com You’ll find back issues, expanded articles, additional photos and can pay for your subscription.
