In today's digital age, the protection of personal information is paramount. However, our information is often at risk of being compromised. Below, let's take a closer look at the "9 Culprits of My Information Leakage" to be vigilant and protect your personal information1. Online shopping platform
With the rapid development of e-commerce, online shopping has become an indispensable part of people's daily lives. However, online shopping platforms can also be one of the culprits of personal information leakage.
: Xiao Li is a keen online shopper consumer. One day, she received a strange phone call, the other party claimed to be the customer service of a shopping platform, and accurately said Xiao Li's name, the goods purchased, and the delivery address. The customer service claimed that the goods purchased by Xiao Li had quality problems and needed to be refunded for her, and asked Xiao Li to provide her bank card number and verification code. Xiao Li believed it and operated according to the other party's requirements. As a result, thousands of dollars were transferred from her bank card.
: When shopping online, choose a formal and reputable shopping platform. Do not click on unknown links to avoid phishing sites. Be vigilant about unfamiliar customer service calls and verify the authenticity of the information through official channels. At the same time, you should pay attention to protect your payment password and verification code, and do not easily disclose it to others.
2. Social media platforms
The proliferation of social media platforms has made it easier for people to communicate, but it also brings with it the risk of information leakage.
: Xiao Zhang is a college student who often shares his life on social media. Once, he posted a photo of his train ticket on Moments, which clearly displayed his name, ID number and other information. Soon after, Zhang received a scam phone call from the other party asking him to transfer money to a designated account for "security verification" on the grounds that Zhang's identity information had been fraudulently used. Xiao Zhang was almost deceived, but fortunately, he consulted the police in time to avoid property loss.
: When posting content on social media, pay attention to protecting personal privacy, and do not disclose sensitive information such as your ID number, bank card number, and home address. Set up privacy permissions to restrict access from strangers. At the same time, be wary of strangers' requests to add, and don't easily trust strangers' messages.
3. Public Wi-Fi
In public places, free public Wi-Fi provides convenience to people, but it can also be a trap for information leakage.
: When Xiao Wang was drinking coffee at a coffee shop, he connected to the public Wi-Fi in the store. Soon after, he found that he had received some strange text messages and emails on his mobile phone, and at the same time, there was an abnormal login in to the mobile banking. After checking, Xiao Wang found that his personal information may have been stolen by hackers while connecting to public Wi-Fi.
: Try to avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi from unknown sources. If you need to use public Wi-Fi, choose a regular location and check the security of the network. When using public Wi-Fi, do not perform operations that involve sensitive personal information, such as online banking, shopping, etc.
4. Mobile phone application
Nowadays, there are many kinds of mobile phone apps that bring a lot of convenience to people's lives. However, some bad apps may steal users' personal information.
: Xiao Zhao downloaded a popular game app. During the installation process, the app asks for multiple permissions such as Xiao Zhao's address book, text messages, location, etc. Xiao Zhao didn't carefully review the permission requirements, and directly clicked agree. Later, Xiao Zhao found that his address book information was leaked, and he often received some spam text messages and harassing calls.
When downloading mobile apps, choose a regular app store and avoid downloading apps from unknown sources. When installing an app, carefully review the permission requirements and give only the necessary permissions. Be wary of some apps that are excessively asking for permissions, and you can choose not to install or uninstall them.
Fifth, the express logistics industry
With the rise of online shopping, the express logistics industry has also developed rapidly. However, the personal information on the courier bill is also easy to be leaked.
: Xiao Sun often shops online, and every time she receives a courier, she will discard the courier package at will, and does not pay attention to the personal information on the courier bill. One day, Xiao Sun received a phone call, the other party claimed to be a staff member of the courier company, accurately stated Xiao Sun's name, phone number, home address and other information, and claimed that Xiao Sun's courier had a problem and needed her to provide some personal information for verification. Xiao Sun was almost deceived, but fortunately, she remembered the anti-fraud propaganda she saw before in time, so she did not disclose her information.
: After receiving the courier, to deal with the personal information on the courier in a timely manner, you can use correction fluid, scissors and other tools to destroy the information. At the same time, it is necessary to choose a regular courier company, and be vigilant about couriers from unknown sources, and do not sign for them easily.
6. Questionnaires and lucky draws
In life, we often encounter various questionnaires and sweepstakes. These activities may seem harmless, but they can also be a way for personal information to be compromised.
: Xiao Zhou saw a questionnaire in the mall, claiming that as long as he filled out the questionnaire, he could participate in the lottery and have a chance to win big prizes. Xiao Zhou was attracted by the prize and filled out a questionnaire that included his name, phone number, home address and other information. Soon after, Xiao Zhou began to receive various sales calls and spam text messages, and her personal information was leaked.
: Be vigilant about surveys and sweepstakes, and don't fill in sensitive personal information lightly. Before participating in the event, it is necessary to understand the organizer and purpose of the event, and confirm the authenticity and safety of the event. If an event asks for too much personal information, be cautious about attending.
7. Hotel accommodation and tourism industry
When traveling or on a business trip, we usually need to stay in a hotel. The hotel's check-in system and travel platform may also be at risk of information leakage.
: When Xiao Wu checked in at a hotel, he handed over his ID card to the front desk staff. A few days later, Xiao Wu found out that his personal information had been leaked, and someone had used his identity to check in at another hotel. After investigation, it turned out that there was a security breach in the hotel's registration system, which led to the theft of Xiao Wu's personal information.
: When staying at a hotel, choose a regular and safe hotel. Be wary of the hotel's check-in system and don't give out too much personal information. When traveling, you should choose a formal travel platform and pay attention to protecting your personal information. At the same time, you should take good care of your ID card and other documents to avoid loss or theft
8. Medical institutions
Medical institutions hold a large amount of personal information about patients, and once the information is leaked, it can have serious consequences for patients.
: When Xiao Zheng was seeing a doctor in a hospital, he filled in detailed personal information and medical records. Soon after, Xiao Zheng began to receive some calls selling drugs and medical services, and her personal information was leaked. After investigation, it turned out that there was a security flaw in the hospital's information management system, which led to the theft of patients' personal information.
: When seeking medical treatment, it is necessary to choose a regular medical institution. Be vigilant about the information management system of medical institutions and do not disclose too much personal information at will. At the same time, medical institutions should also strengthen information security management and take effective measures to protect patients' personal information
9. Units and schools
At work and school, our personal information may also be leaked.
: Xiaohu works for a company, and the company's human resources department organizes employees' personal information into tables and stores them on a computer. Because the computer did not have a password, a former employee took the opportunity to steal the employee's personal information and sell it to criminals. Xiaohu began to receive all kinds of sales calls and scam text messages, and his personal information was leaked.
Units and schools should strengthen the protection of the personal information of employees and students, and establish a sound information management system. Passwords are set for computers and files where personal information is stored, and access is restricted. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen information security training for employees and students to improve everyone's awareness of prevention.
In short, the protection of personal information is the responsibility of each and every one of us. We must be vigilant, understand the risk of information leakage, and take effective preventive measures to protect the security of our personal information. Only in this way can we live and work with peace of mind in the digital age.
Source: Anti-Scam Daily Telegraph