By: Lee Michael Murphy
1. Use Public WiFi with Caution
While on a public WiFi don’t log into sites that have your personal financial information or that requests username or passcodes. Public WiFi can have heavy traffic and thieves can steal confidential information. It drives me nuts to see people doing their banking at the local Starbucks ?. This is where cyber criminals prey on people.
2. Be Careful on Social Media
Thieves can obtain information regarding your security questions on social media. Where did you go to high school? What is your mother’s maiden name? What year were you born? What is the name of your best friend from your childhood? All of this is on Facebook, so be mindful of what you put out there.
3. Shred Your Mail and Documents
For any mail or documents that has your: address, date of birth, social, account info, email, or anything confidential in nature……SHRED IT. Cyber criminals often go dumpster diving for private information that they can use against their victims.
4. Make Your Passwords Stronger
Use a long phase instead of a word and numbers. Make sure all passcodes incorporate: casing, letters, numbers, and special characters.
5. Use Two-Factor Authentication
Most major banking platforms have it available to their clients, but most individuals don’t utilize the technology. Do yourself a favor and set this up across all your banking websites. When you log into your account a passcode code will be sent to your mobile number, you will then need to type the code back into the website. This has become a fantastic way to protect your personal information and keep your assets safer and more secure.
6. Don’t Get Tricked
Beware of scammers who call and claim that they are calling to help you. Most of the time these shady folks are trying to get you to give them your computer access codes and security information.
Another best practice is to check the website address bar and make sure there is a secure HTTPS URL and lock icon. Double check the web address to make sure that you are on the site you intended to visit. One of the most popular scams is phishing. Criminals trick you into visiting sites that seem safe and they persuade you to give confidential information and security codes. Think twice before clicking on random links, and surf with caution.
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