do’s and don’tswith each amazon account comes an “amazon drive”. in order to lock down your...

LOCKINGDOWNUPDATEDAUG2019

Dotaketimetocleanupoldcreditcardsfromyourac-count.

DouseTwo-FactorAuthenticationtoprotectallyourin-formationonAmazon.WithalltheinformationthatAma-zoncapturesitisvitallyimportanttomakesureitispro-tectedbyeverymeansavailable.

DofrequentlyupdateyourpasswordforAmazon.

DonotlinkanyotheraccountstoyourAmazonaccounttolimitwhatoutsiderscan indoutaboutyou,toincludeyourpatternoflifeandhobbies.

DonotfallforscamsonAmazonorfromemailsthatap-peartobefromAmazon.

DonotbuyfrominternationalsellerswhereverpossibletoprotectyourselffromIdentitytheftandscams.

Conartistsaremoresophisticatedthanever,targetingunsuspectingconsumerswithfakeonlinelistings,andmoney-paymentscamsmakesuretoprotectyourinform

ation#privacym

atters

Do’sandDon’ts

InordertolockdownyourAmazonaccountyouwillneedtoaccess“YourAccount,”locatedontheupperrightsideofyourscreen.Fromthe“Account&Lists”icon,selectthedownar-rowtoexpandthemenu.Fromthislist,select“YourAccount.”Let’slookatthe“Login&Security”settings irst.

The“Login&Security”settingsarelocatedatthetopofthe“YourAccount”page(shownabovehighlightedinred).First,reviewthegenerallogininformationprovidedtoen-sureitsaccuracy.Next,headdowntothe“Two-StepVeri i-cation(25V)Settings”sectionandselect“Edit.”Here,youcansetup“Two-StepVeri ication”foryourAccount.Itishighlyrecommendedthatyouenablethistohelppreventhackingofyouraccount.

Toset-up“Two-StepAuthentication”simplyselect“GetStarted”(highlightedinRedtotheright)andfollowthestepsprovided.Thisprocessisanim-portantfeaturetohelpsecureyouraccountgiventhecreditcard,addresses,andotherpersonalinfor-mationmaintainedbyAmazon.

38 

LOCKINGDOWNUPDATEDAUG2019

Don'tassumeeveryem

ailyoureceiveistrustworthy,messagesmayappeartobecomingfrom

alegitimateretailerandcouldincludearequestforaccountinform

ation.#BeatIdentitytheft

WitheachAmazonaccountcomesan“AmazonDrive”.Inordertolockdownyour“AmazonDrive,”gobacktothe“YourAccount”section(shownonpageone),andselect“ManageAmazonDriveandPhotos.”Ontheleftofthescreen,selectthedownarrowtoopenthe“Drive”menu.Next,select“AccountSettings”andscrolldowntothe“ManageThird-PartyApps”section.Oncethere,se-lect“ManageSettings.”HereyoucanreviewanyappsyoumayhaveloggedontothroughyourAmazonaccountandifneedbe,re-moveac-countsyounolongeruse.

Fromthedropdownmenuselect“Settings”andscrolltothemiddleofthepagewhereyouwillfindthe“FindPeople,Places,andThings”sec-tion.Thisfunction,whenleftonallowsAmazonimagerecognitiontoidentifyimagesinyourpicturessoyoucansearchforthemlater.ItisrecommendedthatyouturnthisfunctionofftopreventAmazonfromcollectingadditionaldataonyou.

Next,gobacktothe“AmazonDrive”linkandfromthelefthandcornerselect“AmazonPhotos.”Oncethereheadtotherightsideofthewindowandselectthedropdownmenu.

39 

LOCKINGDOWNUPDATEDAUG2019

Now,let’sgobackto“YourAccount”andselect“Yourdevicesandcontent”,thenselect“Changeyourdigitalanddeviceset-tings”sectionyoumaywanttoreviewthesettingsbelowtomakesurethecontentcomportswithyourneeds.Itisrecom-mendedthatyoureviewthe“SavedWi-FiPasswords”tomakesuretherearenopasswordssavedthatyoudonotwishAma-zontoretain.

Nowlet’sheadbackto“YourAccount”andinthe“CommunicationandContent”section,select“AdvertisingPreferences”sowecanreviewwhatAmazonprovidestoyouandtoadvertisers.Personalizedads,sometimesreferredtoastargetedorinterest-basedadsarebasedoninformationaboutyou,suchastheproductsyouvieworpurchasesyoumakeonAmazon,orwebsitesyouvisitwhereAmazonmightprovideadsorcontent.

Itisrecommendedyouselect“DoNotPersonalizeAdsfromAmazonforthisInternetBrowser.”Whatthisdoesisexactlywhatitsaysinthetitle,butforthecurrentbrowseronly.Amazonhasbeenknowntoresetyourprivacyandothersettingsifitisopenedfromabrowserdifferentfromtheoneusedtolockitdownoriginally.Itwillalsoresetyoursettingsifyouclearyourcookiesanddeleteyourinternethistory.ThismeansthatyouwillneedtogobackintoAmazonandmakesureyoursettingsarestillintactanytimeyoudeletecookiesand/orclearyourbrowserhistory.

Now,let’sgobackto“YourAccount”andselect“CommunicationPrefer-ences.”Fromthereitisrecommendedyouselect“MarketingInfor-mationbyPost,”andselect“Donotsendmemarketinginformationbymail”(highlightedinredtotheright).Thiswillhelptoeliminatespamandothermarketingemailsfromclutteringyourinbox.Besuretose-lectthe“Update”buttontosavethesechanges.

Youcancallthecustom

erservicedepartmentandaskaboutsuspiciousem

ailstoseeifit'sauthentic.W

hateveryoudo,don'ttrytogettoAmazonthroughthesuspiciousemail.#trustbutverify

40 

LOCKINGDOWNUPDATEDAUG2019

IfyouneedtocontactAmazon’scustomerservicemakesuretofindthenumberfrom

theOfficialAmazonsite.Searchingforitonlinecouldleadtoyouprovidinginform

ationtoafakecallcenter.

Let’stakealookattheParentalcontrolsandset-tingslocatedintheVideosectionofAmazon.Todothat,youwillneedtogobackto“YourAccount”andsimplyselect“VideoSettings.”Nowatthetopofthepage indandselect“ParentalControls”andlet’sbegin.Forparents,itisalwaysimportanttomonitorandprotectourchildrenfromnon-ageappropriatematerialontheinternetandtelevisionscreen.Ama-zonallowsparentstosetPrimeVideoPINsandviewingrestriction.Settingstherestrictionsmeansthatanytimesomeoneattemptstoplayavideoorothercontent(dependingonthedevicei.e.TheAm-azonFireStick)theywillberequiredtoputinaPIN,whichwillbedesignatedherebyyou.

Ifyouscrolldownonthe“VideoSettings”page,youwill indthe“Viewingrestrictions”section.HereyoucanselectatwhatageratingyouwouldlikeaPINtoberequired.Ifyouscrollevenfurtherdown,AmazonlistsotherAmazondevices(asshownbe-low)thatrequireparentalcontrolsbesetseparate-ly.Thesesettingsareinherenttoandaccessedfromthedevicesthemselves.

Itishighlyrecommendedthatyoutaketimetore-vieweachdeviceyoumayownandsettheparentalcontrolsaccordingtoyourpreferences.ThisisevenmoreimportantfortheXboxandothergamingde-vices.Thesetypesofdevic-es,ifparentalcontrolsarenotset,allowuserstointer-actwithothersandpur-chaseitemsutilizingthecreditcardon ile.

41 

LOCKINGDOWNUPDATEDAUG2019

Ifyouseeaproductthatislistedwaybelow

marketvalue,don'thandoveryourcreditcardinforightaway.Ifit’stoogoodtobetrueitverylikeis.#them

oreyouknow

Movingon,gobackto“YourAccount”andreviewthefollowingsections:“Orderingandshoppingpreferences;”“Otherac-counts;”and“Shoppingprogramsandrentals.”

OneofthemostpublicsectionsofAmazonarethe“WishLists.”Ifnotmadeprivate,anyonecanviewyourlist(s)andgainorinferinformationaboutwhoyouareorwhothepeo-pleinyourfamilyare(Howmany,gender,age,etc.).Manytimes,youmay indyourselfmakingChristmaslists,birth-daylists,orevengrocerylists.Thetitlesoftheselistsareusuallyspeci ic(i.e.achild’snameforabirthdayorChrist-maslist).Thesesmalltidbitsofinformationcouldbeex-tremelyusefultoaSocialEngineeroridentitythiefwhencombinedwithotherbitsofdataonyou.ItisimportanttonotethatAmazonhaschangedtheirprivacyfor“WishLists,”aUsernowneedsanemailaddressinordertoaccessany“WishList”somakesurethatinformationislockeddown. 

Select“Manageyourlist”from“OrderingandShoppingPreferences”inordertobegintheprocessoflockingdownanyoftheselistsyoumayhave.Oncethere,your“WishLists”willbeonthelefthandsideofthescreen(seeabove).Inordertoreviewandchangethesesettings,selecttheel-lipse(asshownaboveinRed),andselect“ManageList.”Fromthere,select“Privacy”andselect“Private”fromthelist.Besuretoselect“SaveChanges.”

42 

LOCKINGDOWNUPDATEDAUG2019

Keepallcom

municationandtransactionsonAmazon,thatw

ayifyoudohappentobescam

med,Amazoncantrackthescam

andallcorrespondences.#cyberfraud

Muchlikea“WishList”,yourregistriescanalsobedisplayedpublicallyunlessyousayotherwise.Whilestillinyour“WishList”,gotothetopmenuandselect“BabyRegistry.”TocreateyourRegistryselect“GetStarted”fromthecenterofyourpage.Scrolldowntothe“Whocanseeyourregistry”andse-lect“Shared”or“Private”forthevisibilityofyourregistry.Itisimportanttonotethatifyoudecidetomakeyourregistry“Public”itmayalsobeincludedonathirdpartywebsite,TheBumpunlessyouunselectthatoption.

IfyouhavealreadycreatedaBabyRegistry,yousimplyneedtogotothe“RegistrySettings”andchangethePrivacyfromthere.ItisalsoimportanttoremembertodeleteanyRegistriesyouusewhentheyarenolongerneeded.  

Your“WeddingRegistry”isequallyimportanttolockdown.Thinkaboutevery-thingthatgoesintoaWeddingRegistry,whatitmightsayaboutacou-ple,andhowbene icialthatinformationcouldprovetoanidentitythief.

InordertolockdownyourWeddingRegistry,gobacktothe“WishList”menuandselect“WeddingRegistry.”Fromthere,scrolltothemiddleandselecttheappropriateprivacysettingsforyourRegistry.ItisrecommendedthatyounotmakeyourRegistry“Public”andrememberthatonceyounolongerneedtheregistry,besuretodeleteit.

Likethe“BabyRegistry,”the“WeddingRegistry”mayalsobelistedonathirdpartyven-dor,TheKnott.com.Itisrec-ommendedthatyounotmakeyourregistrysearchableonThe-Knott.com

43 

LOCKINGDOWNUPDATEDAUG2019

Shipsfrom

andsoldby[seller]:Third-partysellerthatshipsanitem

from

them

directlytoyou.Amazondoesn’ttouchtheitem

.Thisiswherescammersthrive.#them

oreyouknow

WhatmostpeopledonotrealizeaboutAmazonisthatitcomeswithyourownpublicpro ile.Thispro ileandyourentireAmazonaccountcanbelinkedtoanyofyoursocialmediaaccounts.Itisthereforeimportanttoreviewyourpro ileanditssettingstoensureitislockeddown,notlinkedtoothersocialmediaaccounts,andnotsearchablebythepublic.  

InordertolockdownyourAmazonaccount,gobackto“YourAccount”andselect“YourAmazonPro ile.”Fromthere,followthestepsbelowandontheremainingpagestobestsecureyourpro ile.

Nowlet’sbegintheprocessofmakingsureyour“Profile”islockeddown.Se-lect“Edityourprofile”asshownaboveinred.Inthe“Pro ilepagesettings”re-view,allofyourinformationtomakesure,onlyinformationyouwantonpub-licpro ileis illedin.Itisrecommendedthatyounotdisplayyourfullnameinthe“Yourpublicname”section.  

Scrolldownonthepageand indthe“Addsociallinkstoyourpro ile”sectiontomakesureyouhavenotlinkedanyofyoursocialmediaaccountstoyourAma-zonaccount.Amazonisagreatplacetoshopforjustaboutanything,andassuchitbecomesapictureofwhoyouareandwhoyourfamilymightbe.ThisincludesanyproductreviewsyoumaypostonAmazon.Itisrecommendedthatifyoudoreviewproductsthatyoutrynottoputanypersonalin-formationinsideyourreview.

44 

LOCKINGDOWNUPDATEDAUG2019

Soldby[seller]andFulilledbyAmazon:Athird-partysellersendstheproducttoAmazon’swarehouse,thenAmazonshipsitto.Theseitem

scanbe“Prime”eligible,butarestillthird-party.

Let’snowgotothe“Editprivacysettings”toreviewandmakesuretheyareset.Select“Editprivacysettings”(seeabove)toreviewhowtheyarepresentlycon igured.Itisrecommendedthatyouselectthebox“Hideallactivityonyourpro ile”aswellas“Hidesensitiveactivity.”  

Next,scrolldowntothebottomofthe“Editprivacysettings”andmakesuretheboxtitled“Allowcustomerstofollowyou”isnotchecked.Itisalsoimportanttoclickonthe“seewhoisfollowingyou”linktomakesureyouhavenotallowedanyonetofollowyouuptothispoint.

Ifyouhaveanyfollowers,youcandelete/removethemfromthislinkandthenupdateyourprivacysettingsasshownabovetoprecludeanyotherfollowers.ItisnotrecommendedthatyouallowpeopletofollowyouonAmazon,butespeciallyifyoudonotknowthem.

45 

LOCKINGDOWNUPDATEDAUG2019

Shipsfrom

andsoldbyAmazon.com

:Thisistherealdealandalmostcertainlynotascamofanykind.#them

oreyouknow

#beatidentitytheft

Nowlet’stakealookatyourBrowsinghistory.Simplygotothetopmenubar,fromeitherthe“YourPro ile”sectionorthe“Yourfollowers”page,andselect“YourBrowsinghistory.”Fromhere,lookattherightsideofyourscreenandse-lectthedropdownarrownextto“Managehistory.”Fromhere,itisrecommendyouremoveallitemsand“TurnBrowsingHistory”to“off.”

Amazonhasmanydifferentpro ilestohelpyoumanageyouraccountandanyaccountyoumaywanttocreateforyourchildren.Forinstance,ateenagercanhavetheirownloginandpurchaseability,buttheparentsmaintaincontroloveranypurchases.Parentscanalsoaddanychildrenunder12totheiraccountstohelpmanagethecontentdisplayedoncertaindevices,suchastheFireTV.

46