Security Tips

• Individuals receiving unrequested unemployment paperwork.
• Individuals receiving unemployment benefit payments they did not apply for.
• Employers receiving notice that a claim has been opened for a current employee who is actively working or an unknown person.

• Individuals should report suspected unemployment fraud by visiting the state unemployment benefits website click Report Fraud. In Pennsylvania the site is: uc.pa.gov.
• File a police report.
• Add fraud alerts on the three credit bureau agencies.
• If you are our customer, contact The Dime Bank’s fraud department advising us of the incident.
• Employers should indicate the claim is fraudulent in their response to the notice of claim filed.

Be unpredictable. There are two common password attacks, brute force and dictionary attacks. Both  involve trying a sequence of numbers and/or common words like 123456, hence, trying to crack a password using “brute force” or common “dictionary” words. To minimize this type of exposure, don’t make your passwords predictable.

Be creative. Related to being unpredictable, consider creating a phrase and use the first or second letter of each word, or substitute a special character for letters and/or numbers. You can use a password generator which provides creative and secure password options.

Be long. The longer the password, the more possible combination, and permutations of the password there are, and thereby the safer they generally are. However, don’t forget the first two tips, because long common words and sequences of numbers are still easier to crack!

Be selfish. Believe it or not, one of the more common reasons passwords are compromised is because people share their credentials. Quite simply – never, ever share your password(s)!

Be mindful. Think before you click. Phishing is where you receive an email or text message asking for you to confirm your details or take some other action where you need to enter your personal credentials. These types of acts are becoming increasingly sophisticated and can look very legitimate, like an email from someone you know. As a good rule of thumb, unless you make a request, don’t ever enter your credentials. Or, if you have any doubts, contact the organization requesting the information directly.

Be unique. You should use different passwords for different logins – yes, a different password for every login. Having a unique password for all your accounts helps prevent that if or when one is compromised the others remain protected. Pro tip: If you can’t remember all your passwords, consider using a secure password manager.

Use the built-in firewall on your computer.

Turn on automatic updates for ALL software you use, including your internet browser(s).

Use antivirus and anti-malware software  and keep it current.

Create a long phrase for your password instead of a short password.

Don’t open suspicious attachments or click unusual links in email, tweets, posts, online ads, messages, or attachments. 

Browse safely.  Don’t visit illicit sites.  They may contain malware or a download that contains malware. 

Refrain from streaming or downloading movies, music, books, or applications that are not from a trusted source.  Pirated material may include malware.

Avoid malware and viruses by only using external devices you own or receive from a trusted source.  

• .exe files can also be disguised in .zip folders - if you receive an email with a .zip, and open the folder to find an .exe, you shouldn't run the file.
• Be careful, some attachments might show the icon for a document, PowerPoint, etc., but they still have the .exe extension.
• Just because a file isn't an .exe, doesn't mean it's not malicious - there have been instances of macro-viruses that hide themselves inside of Office Documents.