Although you may be approaching retirement, if you haven’t retired already, it can still be useful to learn about new inventions and tools. These can help to simplify both your business and personal life. However, there may be some risks attached. If you don’t often use new technologies, you may end up overlooking these problems, which could cause issues with both your equipment and your lifestyle. Educating yourself, rather than attempting to figure things out as you go, might be the smarter option in this instance.
How to spot scam and nuisance calls
While you may often receive calls on your smartphone, or even landline, from the people you know, there may be a point when you don’t recognise the number on your caller ID. This doesn’t mean you should answer it. Instead, doing some research could help to stop you from speaking to a scammer or telephone marketer. As an example, if you receive a call from 08007613362 you might want to first look for the number on Unknown Phone. The comments and feedback from other users could help you to figure out if a real company is calling you, as well as the likelihood of it being a scam.
Signs that indicate viruses
Even if you try to be cautious when using technology, there may still be the chance that viruses get into your computer or phone. This may be even more dangerous if your banking details are saved to your phone, or purchases can be made without further authentication. Should you notice irregular charges on your next mobile phone bill, you may want to consider checking to see if there are viruses on your phone. As with computers, you can get confirmed anti-virus software from reputable providers. This can not only find those issues, but also potentially remove them as well. Paid products may have an additional range of tools. However, for basic detection, prevention, and elimination, you may be able to get away with using a basic, free package.
Change your passwords
It might be tempting to make your password for all accounts the same, so it is easy to remember. Likewise, you might also consider using something short, or even the word password itself. This could leave you vulnerable to hacking. Instead, you may want to think about what counts as a strong password, and to use something different for each provider. This means that, should one breach occur, your other accounts may not be vulnerable. When doing so, it can also be important to write these down, either on a word document or physical paper, as this could again compromise your safety.
Although different technologies can be both fun and useful, they may also be daunting for those trying to learn them in later life. Rather than avoiding them, you might want to take some time to teach yourself about safe usage. You may also want to consider asking a younger friend or family member for support to ensure you’re doing things right.
