Emily Long

Emily Long is a freelance journalist based in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has worked as a news reporter and copy editor and currently covers privacy, security and personal finance. Her writing has been published on NBC News, Lifehacker, Tom’s Guide and Wirecutter, to name a few. She has strong opinions about what passes for good coffee and spends her free time running around the Wasatch mountains.

Email Phishing Scams: How to Recognize and Avoid Email Scams

Emily Long

August 30, 2019

Email scams target customers of some of the best-known companies, such as Paypal, Netflix, Amazon or Apple. Here's how to recognize and avoid email scams.

How to Find Your Birth Parents

Emily Long

October 22, 2019

There are more online resources available than ever to track down your birth parents. Learn what's available as well as what may be some common challenges.

Is Amazon Alexa Always Listening? Alexa Privacy Concerns

Emily Long

July 12, 2019

Interested in buying an Amazon Alexa or Echo but concerned about security, privacy and hacking issues? Learn the pros and cons of the smart speaker and whether it's right for your home.

Top 11 Online Scams: How to Protect Yourself From Online Attack

Emily Long

November 8, 2019

Ransomware, phishing, spoofing—it seems online fraudsters are adding to their arsenal every day. Here's how to guard yourself against these top internet scams.

What Are Spam Text Messages? Protect Yourself Against Attack

Emily Long

November 22, 2019

Is your phone plagued with spam text messages? Here's what you can do to avoid this common nuisance.

What Is Personally Identifiable Information? Is your PII safe?

Emily Long

October 16, 2019

Businesses and criminals covet consumer data, but what is personally identifiable information, and how can you best control how your personal data is used? What is considered Personally Identifiable Information? Personally identifiable information is any data that can be used to “distinguish or trace an individual’s identity” (think Social Security number or fingerprint), as well as information that could be linked to a specific person, for example, their medical or financial records.