What is Shoulder Surfing?

Shoulder surfing is a method of identity theft where thieves steal your personal data by spying over your shoulder. This can happen in any public place where you use your smartphone, laptop, or other devices. Thieves can obtain your personal data like PINs and passwords, leading to severe consequences such as your sensitive information being sold on the dark web or an attacker gaining access to your bank account.

When Does Shoulder Surfing Happen?

Shoulder surfing can occur whether someone is standing directly behind you or far away using binoculars, a telescope, or even a video camera. Anytime you’re sharing personal information on your laptop, tablet, or other device in a public place, be aware that snoopers may be trying to steal your data.

Common Places and Scenarios

• At an ATM: Someone could be recording your finger movements to decipher your PIN.
• At work: A coworker might casually look over your shoulder and view what you’re typing or reading.
• At a coffee shop: Someone nearby could quickly glance over and see you log in to your bank or credit card account.
• At the airport: A person nearby could be staring at your screen as you input your credit card information.
• At a restaurant or bar: Someone next to you could catch you entering your password.

How to Know if You’re a Victim of Shoulder Surfing

If you’re a victim of shoulder surfing, the consequences can be far-reaching and damaging to your bank account and financial health. A cybercriminal could sell your data on the dark web or use it to take over your bank and credit card accounts. With enough information, a fraudster might persuade your card issuer to add them as an authorized user or have your bank mail them a checkbook.

Red Flags to Watch For

• Unrecognized purchases: Check your statements to spot any purchases you don’t remember making.
• Alerts from your bank or card issuer: Pay special attention to any unusual activity alerts you receive.
• Bank account withdrawals: Report any unauthorized withdrawals to your bank immediately.
• Password changes: If you receive a notification about an attempted password change, change your passwords immediately and enable multifactor authentication.

How You Can Protect Yourself Against Shoulder Surfing

Fortunately, you can protect yourself from a shoulder surfing attack by implementing a few simple tactics when accessing or entering sensitive personal information on your devices in public areas:

Protect Your Screen

The most direct way to thwart a shoulder surfer is to block any view of your screen. Ideally, look for a place where your back is against a wall. Consider adding a privacy protector screen to obscure the screen’s contents. If you’re using an ATM, position one hand over the keypad to prevent snooping eyes from memorizing your PIN.

Create Unique Passwords

According to an Identity Theft Resource Center survey, 85% of respondents said they reuse passwords on multiple accounts. If someone gains access to one of these passwords, they could expose each of those accounts to fraud. Consider using a single sign-on password manager app to simplify the process of securing your accounts.

Bolster Your Account Security

Enable multifactor authentication and biometric authentication (fingerprints, voice, or face recognition) to make it harder for thieves to access your accounts.

Don’t Access Personal Accounts in Public

Set a personal policy never to access or enter sensitive information in public areas. Even if someone looks over your shoulder or uses binoculars, it won’t matter if you aren’t entering any sensitive information to begin with.

Keep Quiet

Avoid sharing personal data on your phone when you’re in public places. Someone within earshot can hear it with almost no effort.

Keep an Eye out for Unusual or Unauthorized Activity

Check your bank and credit accounts regularly for suspicious activity. Consider getting a free dark web scan or privacy scan to see if any of your personal information is for sale online and discover how to better safeguard your data.

Contact O1ne Mortgage for Your Mortgage Service Needs

At O1ne Mortgage, we prioritize your financial security and well-being. If you have any mortgage service needs, don’t hesitate to call us at 213-732-3074. Our team of experts is here to assist you with the best loan options and ensure your financial transactions are secure.