Cybercriminals have been quick to take advantage of the disruption to daily life caused by the worldwide Covid pandemic. In the past few years, they have launched more cyber attacks and phishing scams than ever before, that’s why many users have started using VPN (opens in a new tab) to protect yourself online.
A VPN, or virtual private network, is an increasingly popular tool that protects your internet connection and allows you to browse the web anonymously. This is because a VPN allows you to use an IP address that is different from the one provided by your online Internet Service Provider (ISP). Also, by changing the server location while connected to the VPN, you can make it appear as if you are in another state or even in another country.
While many users stay connected to their VPN to enhance online security, this can also have negative effects as illustrated in this section. report (opens in a new tab) from New York WHEC.
When not to use a VPN
New York State has long tried to crack down on scammers trying to collect unemployment benefits they are not entitled to. Unemployment insurance fraud is a very serious problem, and unfortunately, some innocent New Yorkers are currently unable to receive their benefits after logging into the Department of Labor (DOL)’s website. bang while connected to the VPN.
WHEC spoke to Elena Rodriguez, who tried to recertify her benefits online but ended up having her payments stopped because the DOL assumed she was overseas. Rodriguez provided more details on the situation, saying:
“That night, I got the ‘we see that you are in Romania’ message, I was like waiting to see what you were talking about… and then I realized that my VPN was turned on. I just got a VPN for added security because I’ve heard cyber threats are on the rise these days, so I thought I was proactive and smart in doing all this. Not for a second I thought it could show that I wasn’t in the water.
Use a VPN while work from home (opens in a new tab) is an extra step people can take to secure their connection and protect their privacy, but in this case it did more harm than good. While Rodriguez should have turned off her VPN when accessing the NYSDOL website, she shouldn’t have had any problems if she was connected to a server in New York instead of one in Romania. As a general rule, you’ll generally see better speeds and less latency when connecting to a VPN server closer to your physical location than to a server farther away or in a different country.
Other New Yorkers have also experienced this issue over the past few years, which is why a spokesperson for NYSDOL explained in a statement that users should turn off their VPN when accessing their website, saying, that:
“During this crisis, we busted thousands of fraudulent unemployment claims — and one of our best tools was to flag claims that appeared to originate in the United States for review. to add. We continue to remind New Yorkers using VPNs or other ‘internet anonymity’ systems to turn off those services before applying for benefits or submitting weekly certificates.”
Choose the right VPN
Of course, in addition to following this advice, it’s also important to make sure you sign up for the right VPN in the first place. If you’ve signed up for a reputable plan, you’ll always find it much easier to get in and out of a VPN connection, whichever works for you and when. Existing good quality VPNs are also much easier to set up and configure. If you’re migrating from a free plan, you’ll probably find the difference to be huge.
In terms of choosing the right VPN plan, your options are many and varied. As always, you should stick with the more famous names. They have a proven track record and can offer much more for the money. In that respect, let’s aim for things like ExpressVPN (opens in a new tab), NordVPN (opens in a new tab) or surf sharks (opens in a new tab) Name three of the major players in the VPN market.
Choosing the software of your choice is pretty straightforward, though you really need to think about what you need a VPN for before you sign up for a subscription. This really revolves around what you spend most of your time doing, such as streaming content or playing games. You might just want to keep yourself safe online, along with covering your tracks and thus improving your online security profile.
Requires core VPN
There are some legitimate issues to think about when you think about subscribing to a VPN. You’ll want to consider a multi-location provider that can help you connect to platforms using a variety of devices. You’ll also want to choose a connection that offers more than one connection if you have a household with multiple devices. Similarly, anyone with a taste for streaming movies or TV shows will want a VPN that can unblock access to services like Netflix or iPlayer.
Next, take a look at the support options that come with the VPN packages you’re considering. All the big, reputable names have software backup support services. Even if you’re a seasoned VPN user, there may be occasional technical issues. Knowing that your VPN provider will support you when or if something goes wrong can provide valuable peace of mind.
In the end, while everyone is looking for value these days, it’s always worth it to compare VPNs that vary in price versus feature set. If you want to turn it on and want everything to work properly then you should spend a little more on your VPN, just like with anything else. However, choose the right plan and you’ll also get that assurance from customer support, in case connecting doesn’t turn out to be as straightforward as you’d hoped.
Via WHEC (opens in a new tab)
