proteccion_Datos_compras_navidad

8 tips to protect your data as you do your Christmas shopping

by BlogData protection

During times like the Christmas season, cybercriminals double down on their attacks to steal our personal data. Tailoring their messages and gimmicks to activities related to shopping. Many Christmas purchases are made online, whether due to lack of time or because of the listed price, and this can pose certain risks to privacy and data protection.

Personal data can be used to scam us, access our bank account and carry out other fraudulent activities. Cybercriminals are able to do so by adapting their messages to each time of the year or to the current season, such as Christmas and holiday shopping, to capture our attention and steal our data. In today’s post we help you identify these scams and give you some advice to prevent these and other risks to your privacy. Lear to protect your data today.

Tips to protect your data when making your online Christmas purchases

  1. Do not open emails with links that ask for personal information

How many times have you received one of these emails pretending to your bank? Surely tons of them. Although we are all aware of these types of scams, you may sometimes get “stung” by them when you are not paying attention or when stressed. We are all very busy with our jobs, commitments with family and friends, and thousands of other concerns.

No matter what happens, always follow this tip: never answer this kind of email. No bank asks for personal information, bank details or passwords in an email, and even less so by sending a link that you have to click.

Beware of all types of emails that try to scare you or that contain links to unbeatable exclusive offers that redirect you to websites asking for personal data. Contact the company through its official channels before clicking the link. And, when in doubt, do not click the link: visit the company’s website yourself by entering the address in the browser.

  1. Pay attention to the cookie banner of the online services you access, and only accept the data processing you consider appropriate

  1. Be careful with SMS messages and other messages on WhatsApp, Telegram and other instant messaging services

Another widespread practice among cybercriminals that you have surely been a victim to on more than one occasion is receiving an SMS from a courier company saying that your shipment is on its way. And you’re not expecting anything, right?

In any case, whether you are waiting for an order or not, at Christmas time it is uncommon for one to neither expect a gift nor get something for themselves. Nevertheless, we still offer the same advice. Never respond to these types of messages, whether you are expecting something or not.

This type of technique is called smishing and it is often used together with great offers or courier shipments during sales or the Christmas shopping season. In addition to SMS, it also uses other instant messaging services such as WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.

  1. Buy from official and trusted online stores

Review both the privacy policy and the legal notice to find out who is responsible for processing your personal data.

  1. Avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi networks

Have you already used up all your data and cannot wait to get home to buy that Christmas gift? It can wait, it can definitely wait. Do not be tempted to connect to a public Wi-Fi network to make online purchases, it may be hacked and a cybercriminal will make purchases for you.

  1. Review the privacy and security settings of your devices regularly

  2. Consider making your online purchases with a card that you only use for that purpose

  3. Use different passwords for each Internet service. You can use a password manager to help you.

 

 

 

estafas_Internet

4 recommendations to protect yourself against Internet scams

by BlogLegal

These days, who hasn’t been the victim of an attempted scam on the Internet? Whether it was winning a prize draw you didn’t take part in or becoming the millionth luckiest client on the planet. The problem is that Internet scams is becoming increasingly common, and we must be very careful before clicking if we don’t want to regret it later.

Today we will give you 4 basic recommendations to protect yourself against Internet scams. Don’t be deceived!

Learn to identify a fake website

Most fake websites pretend to be online shops in order to scam compulsive online shoppers. In this case, we recommend looking to see whether the website URL starts with https:// or if the prices are suspiciously low compared to the quality. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Never forget it!

Look at the payment options

The level of protection of some payment options, such as MoneyGram, is very low. It is also almost impossible to get your money back after finalising a purchase. If they ask you to pay using a single payment method, it is probably an Internet scam.

Find out about the online shop before buying

If you can’t find information about it anywhere, don’t trust it! A real online shop would publish its name, logo, fiscal address, telephone number, location and email address. Also look for the secure site seal and the Terms and Conditions of sales, shipping, returns and cancellations among its web pages.

In addition to these basic 3 points, remember that scammers do not give up easily and will try to make you fall for their scam through methods such as phishing. To avoid these traps, follow the basic points below.

How to protect yourself against Internet phishing

Keep your antivirus up to date

Phishing can also take place through malware, so to prevent Internet scams it is important to have the latest version of your antivirus to block any type of threat and keep a registry of suspicious Internet files.

Avoid chain messages

Chain messages are a wonderful source of information for scammers. They gather the email addresses in order to use them for phishing. In any case, send emails with a hidden recipient or delete them if you don’t know the recipient.

Use a VPN when you connect to the Internet

If you connect to the Internet in public spaces, it is best to install a good VPN to create a secure connection through public networks and home networks. The VPN hides your online activity and protects against computer scammers by changing your IP address.

Do you follow these recommendations? If you didn’t know, now you have the information necessary to protect yourself from feared Internet scams. If you would like to know more about this topic and others related to digital rights, you will find other articles that may interest you in our blog. Have you read them?

mal uso internet niños

4 liabilities of minors and their parents in Internet use

by Blog

Today bullying, discrimination, intimidation, ridicule or the publication of sensitive content on the Internet use is all too common among children and adolescents.

These actions violate rights and go against the law, and parents may incur the costs of administrative offences and criminal behaviour of their underage sons and daughters.

It is indeed a problem that many parents face and that may result in different types of liabilities. Today we will discuss them.

Types of liabilities as a result of misusing the Internet

1. Administrative liability

Publishing sensitive information about a person (images, audio files, videos, information of a sexual or violent nature through which they can be identified). Without consent on the Internet is a violation of the data protection regulations that, without prejudice to filing a complaint through the Priority Channel of the Data Protection Agency to request the urgent removal of this content. May result in an economic sanction for the person who published it or contributed to its dissemination.

The parents or legal guardians of minors over the age of 14 who are given an economic sanction due to violating the data protection regulation shall be jointly and severally liable.

2. Civil responsibility

Material and moral damages caused to third parties by minors as a result of this behaviour gives rise to asset civil liability. For which parents and legal guardians are responsible.

3. Criminal liability

Minors over the age of 14 are also liable for offences listed in the Penal Code such as bullying, threats or disseminating or forwarding images that undermine a person’s intimacy, even if they were obtained with their permission, which is applicable in sexting or cyberbullying cases.

The measures in these cases depend on the circumstances, such as evolutionary development, background, etc., and normally community service or socio-educational tasks are ordered, and probation and imprisonment (placement in centres or weekend residency) may even be imposed.

* Organic Law regulating the criminal liability of minors

4. Disciplinary liability in education

These behaviours can lead to disciplinary liability when they take place in schools (bullying, intimidation, humiliation, serious offences, discrimination or violence towards other students or teachers on the Internet). Corrective measures ranging from a verbal or written warning to the student’s suspension from the school or exclusion can be imposed.

As you can see, many liabilities may arise as a result of misusing the Internet. If you find yourself in one of these situations, Bacaria Legal can help.

salud_mental_internet

Protocol to support measures that promote mental health on the Internet

by BlogData protection

Last February, the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) designed a General Action Protocol to support measures that promote mental health on the Internet.

This protocol aims to contribute to increasing the effectiveness of measures offering assistance to affected people in the event that their data has been obtained illegally through the Internet. It especially focuses on cases of digital violence against women, minors and other vulnerable groups.

What is the protocol of measures to promote mental health on the Internet

The protocol states that the AEPD and the General Psychology Council of Spain (COP) will cooperate in carrying out outreach activities focused on promoting AEPD’s materials, tools and resources to achieve the purpose of this protocol.

Moreover, at the request of the AEPD, the COP will collaborate in activities related to the aims of this protocol. In which its participation can offer a special added value. This is the case of the Priority Channel or the tools on gender equality and the fight against gender violence.

The ‘Priority Channel’ makes it possible to request the immediate removal of sexual or violent content published on the Internet without the consent of those who appear. It is a tool that offers a quick response in exceptionally sensitive situations. This includes situations involving the dissemination of sexual or violent content.

Additionally, a route is established in which the complaints received are analysed as a matter of priority. Allowing the Agency, as an independent authority, to adopt any urgent measures that may be necessary to prevent this content from continuing to be published. The AEPD will support training and awareness in matters of privacy and the protection of personal data of members of the Official Psychological Associations through its Council.  Furthermore, it will institutionally support the COP.

Both institutions will jointly work together to organise forums, workshops, conferences, seminars and informative breakfasts. As well as any other dissemination and awareness action such as press releases. Blogs or publications on social media regarding matters covered by this Protocol. In addition to carrying out related studies and publications of interest.

It is a protocol that we at Bacaria Legal believe is essential to be able to respond to this type of situation that is generated in the digital environment.