Cyber news, tools & one smart career path.
5 min read
Quick Reality Check
73% of U.S. adults have already experienced an online scam and scammers know exactly how to reach you because your information is already out there.
What happened:
Scam texts and emails keep rising, and itās not random. Your phone number or email only has to leak once for it to spread everywhere. And hereās the crazy part: even if that breach happened years ago (yes, even back in 2016), your info is probably still being copied, traded, resold, and recycled.
On top of that, coupon sites, loyalty programs, and data brokers quietly collect and sell your information, making it even easier for scammers to target you.
Why it matters:
Once your details are circulating, fake delivery alerts, bank scams, account warnings, and prize messages start to feel personal and urgent, which is exactly why people fall for them. And if you reuse passwords or have weak security settings, attackers can jump from one exposed account to many.
60-Second Protection Fix
Here is what to do right now to slow down scam messages and protect your accounts
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Check if your email or phone number was in a breach. Use haveibeenpwned.com to see which companies leaked your data.
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Stop giving out your phone number for small discounts, quizzes, or sign-ups you do not need. Most of those programs share data.
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Hire a trusted data deletion service like Incogni to remove your phone number and personal information from data broker sites.
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Turn on multi-factor authentication for every important account.
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Use strong, unique passwords. A password manager helps make this simple.
If you want a full walkthrough, I put together a guide that explains how to remove your data step by step
Must-Have Tool:
Scammers get your phone number from data brokers and people search sites. Incogni deletes your personal data from those sites automatically and keeps sending new removal requests on your behalf. You also get monthly progress updates.
Your number can appear in many places online, but removing it from these major data sources makes it harder for scammers to find and use it.
What You Missed This Week
Want to know the Top 3 reasons you are getting scam messages? Click on the image or here to watch
Check Out Identity and Access Management (IAM) (aka āThe Keepers of Knowledgeā)
IAM specialists control who can access what inside a company. They create login systems, manage permissions, and stop attackers from using stolen credentials to break in. Since so many scams rely on breached passwords and identity data, IAM teams play a critical role in preventing account takeovers. If you like organizing, problem-solving, and designing strong login systems, this path might be for you.
Learn more about IAM in my Free Intro Course: Cyber Paths 101
Letās keep building together!
Stay protected,
Cybersecurity Girl
Know someone whoād enjoy this? Pass it along and have them sign-up here! And if you have thoughts or feedback, just hit reply, Iād love to hear from you.
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