Better Business Bureau serving the Northwest is participating in National Cyber Security Alliance’s STOP. THINK. CONNECT. Campaign to improve the public’s awareness of the basic steps needed to stay safe online.

Cyber crimes are ever-increasing with the most common being: fake check scams, internet merchandise scams, sweepstakes scams, debt collection and phishing scams.

BBB encourages online users to educate themselves about cyber security risks and offers the following tips to stay safe online:

– Own your online presence. Set the privacy and security settings on websites to your comfort level for information sharing. It’s OK to limit how and with whom you share information.

– Get two steps ahead. Turn on two-step verification on accounts when available. This adds an extra layer of security to your account by requiring you to know more than just a password. This is typically a code that is sent to you after accessing your password protected electronic device.

– Keep a clean machine. Technology companies such as Apple and Microsoft are constantly making safety updates. Keep all software on internet-connected devices – including PCs, smartphones and tablets – up to date to reduce risk of infection from malware.

– Keep a lid on personal information. Information about your history or location has value. Think about who is seeing the information and how it is gathered by mobile apps or websites.

– Think before you post. Take care when posting about yourself and others online. Consider who might see it and how it could be perceived now and in the future.

Join the conversation by using the hashtag #CyberAware on Twitter all month long. Anyone who feels they may be a victim of a cyber crime should report it to local law enforcement and BBB Scam Tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker.