How to stay safe when spending crypto online
Just like when using credit cards, you want to make sure you only spend your cryptocurrencies on
reputable platforms. This will eliminate many risks that are commonly associated with online
transactions. Do some research on the company you’re buying products or services from and only go
through with the purchase if the vendor is trustworthy enough. Let’s say you want to use crypto to
gamble online. Turning to a well-known platform such as Lucky Block ensures that your transactions are
handled securely. The same goes for buying any other product or service — prioritize well-established
companies and you’ll have nothing to worry about.
Recognize Common Crypto Scams
With cryptocurrencies still being a relatively new asset, people are quick to jump on any opportunity to
profit from them. This opens the doors for internet wrongdoers to come up with all sorts of giveaways
and investment scams. Then, all they have to do is wait for people to fall for their traps. Luckily, you
can simply stay away from anything fishy and you’ll be safe. Remember that if an offer looks too good to
be true, it’s probably a scam. Just continue spending your crypto as you usually do and don’t make rash
decisions when you see ridiculously good offers anywhere on the web.
Use Strong and Unique Passwords
As we learned in this 2018 hack, one of Finland’s biggest data breaches, being online means your
passwords are never safe. Even if you do everything on your side, your combinations could still end up
in the hands of cybercriminals. If you’re spending crypto, you want to ensure that even if one of your
passwords gets leaked, your tokens remain safe. The best way to do this is to use strong and unique
combinations for your crypto accounts. The best passwords are at least 12 words long and don’t contain
common phrases that can be found in the dictionary. Also, never use the same combinations across
multiple accounts, especially the ones that are linked to your crypto wallets.
Enable 2FA on Your Accounts
With internet criminals always on the hunt for other people’s passwords, it’s important to use
everything you can to protect your accounts. Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts
that are linked to your crypto wallet provides an extra layer of security. Even if someone gets their
hands on your password, they would still need confirmation from you to actually use your crypto. The
best part is that implementing 2FA takes just a couple of minutes. Simply download a 2FA app on your
phone and link it to your accounts by scanning a QR code provided by the platform.
Respond Quickly
No matter how much you try to stay safe, security incidents can always happen. In such events, it’s
important to respond as quickly as possible. Let’s say you receive a message about an unauthorized
transaction or access to your crypto account. Change your passwords immediately and close all current
sessions if possible. Also, think about whether you’re using the same combination on any other accounts
and if you do, change them as well. Next, contact your platform and notify it about the incident. They
might be able to take extra measures to ensure your account is safe.