AARP Pennsylvania is urging consumers to take simple steps during Cybersecurity Awareness Month to help protect personal and financial information and online accounts from scammers.

Scammers frequently use emails and text messages containing malicious links or attachments to target consumers. Clicking a suspicious link or attachment can expose a device to malware or direct users to fraudulent websites designed to steal passwords, payment information and other sensitive data.

“Scammers are constantly looking for opportunities to get our personal and financial information, but there are steps each of us can take to make their job harder,” said Mary Bach, chair of the AARP Pennsylvania Consumer Issues Task Force. “Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a good reminder to strengthen our passwords, protect our accounts and think twice before clicking on an unexpected link.”

AARP Pennsylvania encourages consumers to take four steps to strengthen online security:

Use strong, unique passwords. Avoid reusing passwords across multiple accounts and consider using a password manager.

Turn on multifactor authentication. Adding another form of verification provides an additional layer of protection for online accounts.

Keep software updated. Install software and device updates as soon as they become available because they often include important security fixes.

Watch for phishing attempts. Think twice before clicking unexpected links or opening attachments, and report suspicious messages.

While technology and cyberthreats continue to evolve, taking these basic precautions can help consumers better protect their information and online accounts.