Do you know how to safeguard your data? In today’s digital culture of online shopping, Apple pay and money transfers with the click of an icon on a smart phone, it is critical for residents to take steps to protect their personal information.

In honor of National Data Privacy Day, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department wants to share some ways you can reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft.

Pass phrases, not passwords

Avoid using one-word passwords and opt for longer, and tougher to hack, pass phrases. Maybe it’s a quote from a favorite movie, an inspirational phrase or a go-to song lyric – use something unforgettable to you.

Vary your pass phrases for each online account.  Your social media pages, email, online banking, and online shopping accounts ALL should have different pass phrases. Worried about remembering them all? There’s an app (or several) for that. Apps such as LastPass or Dashlane are secure ways to create, store, and manage unique passwords for all of your accounts.  Best of all, you only need to remember the one pass phrase to access the app.

Opt for double security

Two-factor authentication for your digital accounts provides for an added layer of security by requiring two different factors to access your accounts. Turn it on! The security is worth the extra effort.

By using a platform such as Google Authenticator or Authy, you can better protect your data. It’s likely that many of the services you use online or on mobile including PayPal, Dropbox, Facebook, or Instagram have an option for two-factor authentication.

Consider virtual credit cards, and don’t offer up your info  

One of the biggest threats to online shoppers is third-party data breaches. That is to say, your favorite retailer gets hacked and your personal information is then compromised. 

When online shopping, consider using a virtual credit card service to protect your payment information. Some credit cards, like the Apple card, offer temporary credit card numbers.  Or an app such as privacy.com will generate a new virtual credit card number for every purchase you make, protecting your actual account information.

In addition, be wary of offering up personal information for retail loyalty or rewards programs. By using an alias, you can still reap the customer benefits without putting your privacy at risk. You are not necessarily required to provide true personal information for these programs.  Try to read the terms of service to know where your information is going. 

If this sounds like a lot of extra work, it can be. However, implementing just one of these tips can better safeguard your financial and personal information and save you from financial loss, a stolen identity, or another crime that capitalizes on stealing your data.

As retailers continue to innovate ways to make it easier to digitally consume products, hackers are equally fast in finding ways to exploit and steal that information, putting you at risk for becoming a victim.

This Data Privacy Day, take steps to protect your information, and as always: Stay alert. Stay engaged. Stay safe, OC.

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. (Jan. 22, 2020) – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, Jan. 24, from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the city of Laguna Niguel.

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ALISO VIEJO, Ca. (January 21, 2020) – Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigators are seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect who assaulted and kidnapped a 22-year-old female victim in Aliso Viejo yesterday at approximately 6 p.m.

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SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Ca. (January 15, 2020) – At approximately 10 p.m. on Jan. 14, Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a residential area in the 26000 block of Cedar Grove Court in the city of San Juan Capistrano after multiple calls of a domestic disturbance.

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LAGUNA HILLS, Ca. (Jan. 15, 2020) – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will have extra deputies out on patrol Saturday, Jan. 18, looking for violations made by drivers and motorcyclists that increase the risk of crashes.

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SAN CLEMENTE, Ca. (January 15, 2020) – Distracted driving is a dangerous and illegal behavior the Sheriff’s Department is working to deter drivers from doing.

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SANTA ANA, Ca. (January 14, 2020) – In 2019, custody and Correctional Health Services staff at the Orange County jail deployed Naloxone in an effort to save inmates’ lives a record 123 times to 70 inmates. Compared to the 2018 totals of 39 deployments to 32 inmates, the jump in incidents has been significant. This marks a three-year high, a benchmark that reflects the alarming increase in opioid abuse and overdoses nationwide.

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SANTA ANA, Ca. (January 10, 2020) – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Homeless Outreach Teams assisted with sheltering 161 people in temporary and permanent housing through various resources during their first full year of service in 2019.

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Warrant for your Arrest Scam

The suspects in this scam call you, identify themselves as law enforcement officers and then direct you to pay a bail or fine to prevent arrest. The reasons for the warrant vary and most recently have been because you supposedly did not report for jury duty. They most often “spoof” the caller ID number to show the number or name of a local law enforcement agency. As with the other scams the suspects instruct you to obtain a prepaid credit card and give them the card number from the front of the card and the code from the back of the card.

Facts related to this scam:

• The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will never demand payment for a warrant over the telephone.
• Payments related to warrants are handled through the Court that issued the warrant.
• You will never be restricted to one form of payment.
• If you provide the numbers for the prepaid credit card then the person can access the funds anywhere in the world.

What you can do to combat this scam:

• Don’t call them back or hang up if you are talking to them
• Call the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at 714-647-7000 or 949-770-6011 to determine if an OCSD employee is actually calling you and to file a report
• Contact the Court Directly to inquire about bail or fine payment. The link http://www.occourts.org/locations contains court locations and contact information in Orange County.

MISSION VIEJO, Ca. (Jan. 7, 2020) – Distracted driving is a dangerous and illegal behavior the Sheriff’s Department is working to deter drivers from doing. On Thursday, January 9, deputies will focus their efforts on drivers that are talking, texting, using an app or any other action on their phone that is not hands-free and violates California’s cell phone law. A violation is subject to a $162 fine for the first offense, and at least $285 for a second offense.

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