Every day were hear stories of companies large and small hacked largely due to inadequate internet safety protections such as weak passwords.
However, there is an easy-to-use and inexpensive way to protect yourself.
KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.
Six-digit verification codes are a form of two-factor authentication, a process that helps keep your important online accounts secure. For example, you might get a text message or email with a six-digit code that you must enter when you log into your bank account to confirm your identity.
This extra level of protection keeps scammers and hackers out. According to the University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of Engineering, someone becomes a victim of a cybercrime every 39 seconds, which is equivalent to more than 2,200 cyberattacks per day.
Regional Director of the Better Business Bureau in Springfield, Missouri Pamela Hernandez says scams involving two-factor authentication are prevalent in Missouri.
“Well, consumers have told BBB about encountering scams involving online marketplaces, for example Facebook Marketplace.
Where someone is trying to sell an item on Facebook. And where someone pretends to be a buyer, the scammer and they say they need a phone number, and they are going to send that six-digit code to verify that the seller is real.”
Pam warns that hackers are using your information to set up a false Google Voice account to use in other scams. Or are actively trying to hack into your account. She suggests, using the two-factor code right away and deleting it from your texts or emails after you log in to your account.
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