Hackers are getting bolder. Here’s how to fight back

Imagine you've just had your smartphone stolen and are desperate to get it returned, along with the data it contains. You track it with the Find My iPhone app and send messages offering to buy it back. In response, you get a link to click. That’s a trap designed to steal your username and password. Click it and enter your credentials, and you’ll join the ranks of those hacked by crooks playing on a weakness—your urgent need to get back your phone. 

According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, data breaches hit an all-time high in 2016, up 40 percent over 2015. Over half of those hacks resulted in Social Security numbers and other critical data being stolen.

Watching out for these common scams will help keep your identity safe.

Read the scams here.

Source: AARP