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Crime & Safety

Protect Yourself from Cyber Crime

Technology Committee helps you plug into safety issues.

What are the bad guys doing with YOUR online information? Find out the latest about cyber crimes, hacking, online privacy, identity theft, wireless safety, scams and frauds, and what steps you can take to protect yourself in a new program brought to you by the Livingston Technology Committee. 

“Cybercrime and Internet Safety” will be presented on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Senior Community Center, 204 Hillside Ave.  

The principal speaker is an FBI Special Agent in the Newark Division Cyber Squad.  Also contributing will be Donna Parsons, an instructor of network security at Ocean County College with 25 years experience in computer-based crime protection; and Phil Chaiklin, a technology and security specialist and owner of High Tech Depot, a firm that works with data and information security.  Chaiklin and Parsons are both graduates of the Newark FBI Citizen Academy.

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“Residents need to be aware of phishing and of people trying to steal their personal information,” said Paul Lichtman, a member of the Technology Committee.  “What’s important is how to handle messages you get – what to do and what not to do.” 

“In discussing these issues, members of our committee have observed that safety has as much to do with human responses as with technology,” added Ellen Lazer, who chairs the committee and produces the town’s website, www.livingstonnj.org.

Find out what's happening in Livingstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Tim Dunmyer of the Livingston Police Department noted that elderly people in particular can be easy targets for cyber crooks. “Someone says that your , you need to wire $5,000, and they fall for it. It’s a shame.  It happens on the telephone, too. Someone calls to say that you won a lot of money ... Things that sound too good to be true usually aren’t.”

The information in this meeting applies to everyone, whether you use a PC or a Mac, cable or FIOS, AOL or Gmail, noted member Oren David, and will provide attendees with the knowledge they need to protect themselves against privacy and security threats.   

“Don’t be naïve,” said Phil Chaiklin.  “Be computer smart.” 

 

 

 

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