If you have the internet, a telephone, a mobile device or even a mailing address — you can be a target of scams and other fraudulent attempts to steal your money or personal information.
Helping to protect members from these scams is one of DirectLink’s top priorities, as Marketing Director Brian Strunk explains.
“One of the things that makes DirectLink unique is that as a cooperative, we’re very invested in the community,” Strunk tells the Current. “We’re member-owned, and everything we do is really from that community focus. Our aim is always putting customers first and making sure they’re taken care of.”
Combatting scammers — and even simply staying on top of the latest trends and fraud attempts — takes a concerted effort.
“All of our employees go through regular cybersecurity training because there are so many creative ways to exploit weaknesses in networks,” Strunk explained. “It can be through social engineering, malware, spyware and so on. And these scams can come through email, phone calls, texts — sometimes even a person knocking on your door.”
As a longtime telecommunications provider, DirectLink is particularly sensitive to scammers using some of the very same technologies it provides access to in attempts to defraud its members.
“I think that’s one reason we do take it so seriously is that we are a service provider, and we know how impactful it can be to the people who are victimized,” he said. “As a service…
