Cold Hands Cyber Security Article Part 3
Part 3: The Next Steps
By Monica Torres
This violation has forever changed the way I do business and has forever changed me and the way I secure my personal assets and business assets online. More and more businesses are being attacked and held for ransom that is often in the millions. Funeral service-related businesses are not prepared and are at high risk for ransom attacks.
In my opinion most funeral homes have outdated embalming protocols and so are our systems of business. If your funeral home still uses a fax machine you are a target. If your funeral home does not have your Facebook page secured with 2 factor authentication YOU ARE A TARGET. If your funeral home website is a free gift from a funeral service vendor, YOU ARE A TARGET. If your gmail or outlook email system is not secured and you do not have cyber security insurance YOU ARE A TARGET. According to the recent 2024 NFDA Cremation and Burial Report, 40% of its members offer online cremation services. If your firm is one of those 40% who offer online cremation services-YOU ARE A TARGET. Deleting your FB page and not offering arrangements online is not the answer. Education, awareness and preparedness are the key.
Cold Hands 5 biggest take aways from my experience:
1. NEVER reuse passwords
2. Make sure to turn the toggle ON for “two factor authentication” wherever you can
3. Download the Google “Authenticator” app to help beef up security
4. Secure your Google Admin account with best practices (click security checklist) https://apps.google.com/supportwidget/articlehome?hl=en&article_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsupport.google.com%2Fa%2Fanswer%2F9011373%3Fhl%3Den&assistant_id=generic-unu&product_context=9011373&product_name=UnuFlow&trigger_context=a
5. Its best to have a plan: https://www.fcc.gov/cyberplanner and consider purchasing cyber security insurance like this https://www.usaa.com/insurance/business/commercial-cyber-liability/
What you can do if you are breached:
1. Make a public announcement FAST and alert your customers through various social media outlets and email campaigns. Send multiple alerts and pick up the phone and call large accounts.
2. Contact your Cyber Security Protection Company immediately 3. Report the scam to the BBB Scam Tracker and the government via the FTC ReportFraud site. You may also want to report scammers directly to the FBI.
I want to thank Greg Franklin at Hacked.com for his help. Without them I would never have been able to recover my Facebook business pages and online business.
Although this summer has been financially stressful, I am happy to have my pages recovered and happy to be able to continue to provide consulting services and content for YOU! Thank you to everyone who supports my small business and who has purchased Cold Hands merch, my ebook https://www.nxtgenmortuarysupport.com/.../embalming-tips.../ and my in person and online classes. Here’s to a cyber secure future! Until next time…. Happy Embalming!
Valuable Resources:
Here is a quick way to get a bit of cyber security and fraud education. Are you online-data-security savvy? Take the test here:
Here are some common scams to be aware of:
Impersonation scam
“The email looked like it was from a business I knew.”
The scammer may pose as a business, government agency, or vendor you work with. They’d send you a spoofed email (appearing to be from a legit source) or use a fake caller ID, requesting a change in payment or creating a false sense of urgency to send funds due to fraud or a late payment. At times, they’ll ask you to transfer money or deposit a check for expenses and refund the balance.
Business email compromise scams
You receive an email from your supplier/vendor requesting to send money to a different account. The supplier/vendor email appears to be familiar. But this could be a fraudster who obtained access to the network of your supplier/vendor.
Tech support
Don't allow remote access to anyone asking to fix computer defects or malware. Especially after you have had a breach. I was inundated with DMs and emails from scammers offering to “help me recover my FB pages and website” after I got hacked.
Online shopping
Research social media marketplace merchants & look for red flags like very low prices.
Payment
Be wary if you’re asked to make a purchase with the promise of compensation.
Employment
Don't apply for jobs with enticing perks when the application wants personal info.
Romance
Be wary of relationships exclusively online with someone who needs financial support.
Fake rental
A house is legitimately listed for sale online, but scammers have set up a fake website and listed the house as a rental. You send your first month’s deposit to a scammer pretending to be the landlord/owner.
Overpayment scams
You receive an overpayment for an item you’re selling, immediately followed by a request to deposit the check (which turns out to be a bad check) and then send the difference via a wire or gift card.
Charity scams
You receive a request to donate to a charity that you've never heard of and for which you can’t find an official website.
FTC / IRS scams
Scam artists are pretending to be IRS officials to get your money. They'll call, email, or text you claiming you owe back taxes or there's a problem with your tax return. They even rig caller ID to make their call look official. They play on your fears.
Mortgage Closing
You receive an email or text message that looks similar to your real estate agent’s contact info that indicates there is a last-minute change to the wiring instructions and tells you to wire closing costs to a different account.