It’s been reported in the news recently that a 5 year old boy ran up a bill of over £1,700 with iTunes using an iPad………
It may sound ridiculous, but many people are finding themselves in a similar situation (although perhaps not with quite such a hefty bill!)
The parents of the young boy entered their password and gave permission for him to down load a FREE app. However, the little boy was then able to (innocently) ‘purchase’ pricey add-ons, without having to re-enter the password. The parents did not realise what had happened, nor did the little boy understand what he had done, until the credit card bill arrived!
This unfortuate story highlights the importance of password security. Are you doing enough to protect yourself and your gadgets….? Probably not, so here are a few tips to help:
- Don’t save your passwords – Saving your passwords on websites may save you a few seconds but remember, they are there for a reason!
- Never enter your password (even if it is to download something FREE) without reading the T&C’s first.
- Many parents allow their children to use smartphones, tablets & desktops to play games & watch video’s etc. Always keep an eye on what they are doing – It only takes a few seconds for them to start doing something else, that you might not want them to!
- Make use of parental controls on TV’s / Games Consoles / Desktops – They are easy to set up and allow you to set time restrictions & website permissions.
