GOOGLE has a warning for millions of its users and it involves never ignoring an important message.
If you receive a message about a suspicious login from Google, you need to check the IP address immediately.
Google advises users to check their last account activity in a few simple steps.
“You can see your sign-in history, including the dates and times that your Gmail account was used.
“You can also see the IP addresses which were used to access your account,” Google said.
To see your account activity, log on to your computer and go to Gmail.
Next, you need to move your mouse to the bottom right and click Details.
“You can also visit the Recent security events page to see security updates for your entire Google Account,” the tech giant added.
Under the Activity on this account section, you’ll see your sign-in records.
This will include a list of IP addresses that have accessed your account.
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IP stands for Internet Protocol, and it refers to the rules the data you’re sending via the internet is under.
An IP address allows information to be sent between two devices with the ability to track the location of where the data is being sent from.
That means if you’re in London, England and you get a notification saying your Google account has been logged into in New York, your account may have been compromised.
If this is the case, you need to change your passwords immediately.
It’s worth having two-factor authentication set up to make it harder for criminals to hack into your accounts.
Two-factor authentication can come in many forms and may involve having a password and a text code that lets you access important accounts.
TIPS TO STAY SAFE ONLINE
The following tips can help you avoid a cybercrime disaster…
- Never share your passwords with anyone even if you think a friend is texting you to ask for login details
- Avoid falling for phishing scams by being vigilant when reading and replying to emails that ask for private information
- Don’t give out banking information unless you know you’re using a trusted website