AI and free online tools have made convincing scams cheap to build at scale, and you don't need a large bank balance to be worth targeting — your identity, financial data, and email all have value. More than 90% of successful cyberattacks start with a phishing email, and cloning a voice for a deep fake takes only three seconds of audio. These 10 cyber hygiene habits cover most of your risk. Download this checklist.
Why cyber scams are getting harder to spot
Cyber scams are nothing new, but they have become more prevalent and easier to create due to the advent of artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, and other technological advances. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3):
“In 2024, IC3 received a number of complaints from the American public: 859,532 complaints were registered, with a record loss exceeding $16.6 billion. This is 33% increase in losses suffered, compared to 2023.”
These numbers are likely higher because not all incidents and losses are readily reported to the authorities
Are you really a target for cybercriminals?
Hackers don’t need to know how much is in your bank account to want to get into it. Your identity, your financial data, what’s in your email—it’s all valuable. Cybercriminals will cast a wide net. They are not playing by any rules, they are persistent, and they want to get to you one way or another. They’re counting on you thinking you’re not a target.
How can you reduce the chances of falling for the scams? Learn the signs! Here are 10 easy, commonsense cyber hygiene practices you can use to protect yourself online.
Lock down your accounts and devices
Turn on multifactor authentication. Implementing multifactor authentication on your accounts can help reduce the likelihood you’ll get hacked. It is an extra step on top of your password (which can be more easily cracked or stolen) in which trusted websites and applications ask you to confirm you’re really who you say you are. Your bank, your social media network, your school, your workplace— they want to make sure you’re the one accessing your information. Multifactor authentication can be a) something you know, b) something you have, or c) something you are.
Update your software. Turn on automatic updates to ensure your software stays up to date. Bad actors are constantly upgrading their hacking tools and techniques. Network defenders, anti-virus safety protocols, and firewalls are intended to fix any flaws or glitches. It is up to you to update your software with the latest fixes.
Use strong passwords or even better a passphrase. Make your passwords as strong as possible by creating the longest password or passphrase permissible, using various characters such as lower case, upper case, and special characters. Be sure to customize your standard password for different sites. Even better, use a password manager to generate and store your unique passwords.
Recognize scams before you respond
Think before you click. More than 90% of successful cyberattacks start with a phishing email. If it’s a link you don’t recognize, trust your instincts and think before you click. Phishing could come via email, a text message, or even a phone call. Implement Zero Trust environment.
Utilize cognitive security. This is the mental piece of online security. Hackers are persistent and don’t play by any rules; they want to get to a desired target one way or another. Before you click, ask some critical questions:
a) Why am I receiving this?
b) What’s the story behind it? What emotions do they want to evoke?
c) What do they want me to do or believe?
Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. If you don’t recognize the number and it is a legitimate call, the caller will leave a voicemail. If it is not, they won’t leave a voicemail and will disconnect.
Don’t give out personal information. Keep your private information private. This includes your full name, employer, job title, account numbers, Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, home address, date of birth, family members, passwords, or any other identifying information. Guard your information from unexpected calls, emails, texts, and all other suspicious activity.
Protect yourself in public and at home
Be cautious while online in public places. Don’t use public Wi-Fi in internet cafes, hotel lobbies, airports, or anywhere internet access is not secure.
Educate yourself and your family. Establish computer usage guidelines for your family, and help your children understand how to use the computer, other connected devices, and the internet safely. Have candid, age-appropriate conversations with younger users to help them understand the dos and don’ts of cybersecurity.
Beware of deep fakes. Bad actors can develop scams via inexpensive or free tools by using images, video, and voice recordings. For example, voice cloning is used to spread misinformation that ranges from mass robocalls/robotexts (e.g., campaign messages) to individual calls for extortion of money (e.g., loved one kidnapped or in an accident.)
“Voicemails, public speaking, and videos are used to produce voice cloning and only three seconds of the recording is needed to create a ‘deep fake.’” — Greg Bohl, Chief Data Officer, Transaction Network Services
Put the checklist to work
Cyber hygiene isn't a one-time setup — it's a set of habits worth revisiting as the tactics change. Download the checklist below to keep it handy, share it with family members, and work through the practices you haven't turned on yet.
For financial professionals
This checklist is one of the client-approved tools and worksheets available through Delaware Life's National Sales Consulting team, whose directors are go-to consultants on income, tax planning, and business-building strategies. Explore the full library of customizable client articles, worksheets, and seminar resources.
Sources
https://www.cisa.gov/cybersecurity-awareness-month;
https://www.cisa.gov/topics/cybersecurity-best-practices;
https://www.cisa.gov/topics/cybersecurity-best-practices/identity-theft-and-personal-cyber-threats;
https://www.cisa.gov/secure-our-world/use-strong-passwords;
https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf;
https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/CAC-Minutes-26June2024.pdf; all accessed 12/24/2025