Living on the Internet: A Few Tips IT People Wish Everyone Knew

Published on February 09, 2026

Woman Sitting on Couch with Laptop

Living on the Internet: A Few Tips IT People Wish Everyone Knew

Safer Internet Day (February 10, 2026) is a great reminder—but these tips matter all year.

The internet is part of everyday life. We use it to pay bills, stay in touch with family, work remotely, shop, bank, stream movies, and answer questions we didn’t even know we had five minutes ago.

But here’s the part most people don’t think about: Not everyone on the internet is there for good reasons.

The good news? You don’t need to be an IT expert to protect yourself. A few simple habits - the same ones IT professionals use every day - can dramatically reduce your risk. Here are some practical, plain-English tips Outagamie County's IT Department wish everyone knew.

1) If Something Feels “Off,” Trust That Feeling

One of the most effective security tools you already have is instinct. If a message, website, or request:

  • feels strange
  • sounds too good to be true
  • requires immediate action
  • doesn’t quite add up

…it probably deserves a second look.

When something feels off:

  • Don’t click the link.
  • Don’t open the attachment.
  • Go to the website another way: use a saved bookmark or type the address yourself. If you’re unsure, search for the organization and use the official result—not the link in the suspicious email.

That short pause (even 10 seconds) makes a huge difference. Many scams rely on getting you to react fast.

2) “Urgent” Is a Red Flag, Not a Reason

Scammers love urgency. You’ll see messages like:

  • “Your account will be locked today”
  • “Payment failed—click here”
  • “You’ve been charged—dispute immediately”
  • “We need this gift card number right now”

Real organizations can send urgent notices, but pressure tactics are a clue to slow down.

What to do instead:
If it’s truly urgent, you should be able to confirm it by logging in through your normal method (bookmark/typed address) or calling a trusted number you look up yourself.

3) Don’t Trust the Message—Trust What You Can Verify

Here’s the mindset shift that keeps people safe:

Don’t trust what a message says it is. Trust what you can confirm.

If you get an email “from” your bank, a delivery company, a streaming service, or even a coworker that seems odd:

  • Go directly to the organization’s official website (not the email link)
  • Use a phone number you find from a reliable source (not the message)
  • If it’s from someone you know, contact them in a separate way (text/call) and ask, “Did you mean to send this?”

4) Use Strong Passwords—But Don’t Try to Memorize 50 of Them

IT folks don’t have superhuman memories—we use systems.

Two simple rules:

  • Never reuse passwords between important accounts (email, banking, online shopping).
  • Use long passwords (a passphrase works great):
    “CoffeeLakeWinterRoadTrip!” beats “P@ssw0rd1” every time.

A helpful tool (that IT people actually use)

Consider using a password manager to store unique passwords safely. Then you only need to remember one strong master password.

5) Turn On Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Wherever You Can

If you only do one “extra” security step this year, make it MFA.

MFA means logging in requires:

  • something you know (password), and
  • something you have (a code on your phone or an authentication app)

That second step stops a lot of account takeovers—even if your password gets leaked.

Pro tip: Use an authentication app when possible. Text-message codes are better than nothing, but apps tend to be more secure.

6) Watch for “Look-Alike” Links and Fake Websites

A common trick is a web address that looks close to real, but isn’t—like:

  • an extra letter
  • a missing letter
  • a strange domain ending
  • a completely different site disguised with a familiar logo

Best habit: When it matters (money, passwords, personal info), don’t click. Type it or use a bookmark.

7) Updates Aren’t Just Annoying—They’re Protection

Those update pop-ups are often fixing security problems. Delaying them can leave devices exposed.

What to do:

  • Turn on automatic updates for your phone, computer, browser, and major apps
  • Restart your device occasionally so updates can finish installing

8) If You Clicked Something… You’re Not Alone—Act Quickly

It happens to everyone eventually. The key is what you do next.

If you clicked a suspicious link or entered info:

  1. Don’t panic—act.
  2. If you entered a password, change it immediately (and anywhere else you reused it).
  3. Turn on MFA if it isn’t already.
  4. Watch accounts for unusual activity (banking, email, shopping).
  5. If it involved a work account or county device, report it right away to your IT/help desk—fast reporting helps protect everyone.

(And for residents reading this: if your bank account or credit card may be affected, contact your bank/card issuer as soon as possible.)

Quick “IT Reality Check”

If an email or pop-up is asking for:

  • your password
  • a verification code
  • payment in gift cards
  • remote access to your computer
  • secrecy (“don’t tell anyone”)

…that’s a strong sign you should stop and verify through trusted channels.

Three Easy Next Steps (Start Today)

If you only take three actions from this post:

  1. Pause before you click—especially on urgent messages.
  2. Use bookmarks or type the web address instead of using message links.
  3. Turn on MFA for your most important accounts (email + banking first). 
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