For many, the latest gadgets are at the top of their ‘want’ list, with those powered by an app or connected to the internet being the most appealing.
However, you must remember that they can come with privacy risks that shouldn’t be ignored. Gadgets that are internet enabled provide a more personalised experience, by offering functions such as speech or image recognition.
However, the devices also collect personal information, which is like gold dust for potential fraudsters.
The Jersey Office of the Information Commissioner has the following advice:
- Do an internet search to see whether anyone has raised privacy and security concerns about the gadget before you buy it
- When a gadget asks for personal information, you don’t have to hand it over. Consider using a fake name, birthdate and address
- Set a strong password
- Take a look at where your collected personal data is being stored. If it’s on the gadget itself, it’s less of a concern than if it’s on a Bluetooth-connected app or uploaded to the cloud (think third-party server)
- Read the gadget’s privacy policy. Understand how your data will be used
- Consider what kind of information the gadget collects. It could collect images, voice recognition and location data. Are you comfortable with this? Examples include: birthdate, name, physical location, account passwords, profile pictures and credit card information.
Jersey Fraud Prevention Forum issues educational newsletters across the island twice a year to raise awareness about current scams targeting local residents, in particular the elderly and vulnerable. Its latest newsletter focuses on specific scams relating to online shopping and digital gifts.
To read the Forum’s newsletter, click here.
