“Understanding Shoulder Surfing and How to Prevent It”

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When Does Shoulder Surfing Happen?

Shoulder surfing is a form of identity theft where thieves steal your personal data by spying over your shoulder. This can happen in any public place where you use your smartphone, laptop, or other devices. Thieves may use various methods, such as standing behind you or using binoculars, telescopes, or video cameras to capture your information.

Common scenarios where shoulder surfing might occur include:

• At an ATM: Someone could record your finger movements to decipher your PIN.
• At work: A coworker might casually look over your shoulder to view sensitive information.
• At a coffee shop: Identity thieves may glance at your screen to steal login details.
• At the airport: Someone nearby could see you input your credit card information.
• At a restaurant or bar: A person next to you might catch you entering a password.

How to Know if You’re a Victim of Shoulder Surfing

If you’re a victim of shoulder surfing, the consequences can be severe, including identity theft and unauthorized access to your bank and credit card accounts. Here are some red flags to watch for:

• Unrecognized purchases: Check your statements for any purchases you don’t remember making.
• Alerts from your bank or card issuer: Pay attention to any unusual activity alerts you receive.
• Bank account withdrawals: Report any unauthorized withdrawals to your bank immediately.
• Password changes: If you receive a notification about an attempted password change, change your passwords immediately and enable multifactor authentication.

How You Can Protect Yourself Against Shoulder Surfing

Fortunately, you can protect yourself from shoulder surfing by implementing a few simple tactics:

• Protect your screen: Block any view of your screen by positioning yourself with your back against a wall or using a privacy protector screen.
• Create unique passwords: Use a password manager to create and store unique passwords for each of your accounts.
• Bolster your account security: Enable multifactor authentication and biometric authentication to make it harder for thieves to access your accounts.
• Don’t access personal accounts in public: Avoid entering sensitive information in public areas.
• Keep quiet: Avoid sharing personal data over the phone in public places.

Identity theft can take months or years to resolve, requiring you to make endless phone calls, take time off work, and pay for services or reports needed to reclaim your identity. Being aware of your surroundings and taking precautions when you’re online in public can help you avoid falling victim to shoulder surfers.

Keep an Eye out for Unusual or Unauthorized Activity

You never know when a shoulder surfer could be near, ready to steal your personal data. Protecting yourself using the tactics above can limit the opportunities for a shoulder surfing attack. Regularly check your bank and credit accounts for suspicious activity. Consider getting a free dark web scan or privacy scan to see if any of your personal information is for sale online and discover how to better safeguard your data.

For any mortgage service needs, call O1ne Mortgage at 213-732-3074. We are here to help you with all your mortgage needs.

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