Five Ways to Stay Secure Online
One of our priorities is protecting your personal information, which is why we wanted to share advice that may help keep your finances secure.
There are certain things we can do at least once a year to ensure that our financial lives stay on track, including filing out your taxes or reviewing your estate and financial plans. As we head into the second half of the year, consider taking steps to secure your finances in the digital realm as well, so you don’t become one of the more than 16.7 million of Americans who were victims of identity fraud in 2017, according to Javelin Strategy & Research.
Here are five ways to help protect your information online, as recommended by the Federal Trade Commission:
1. Beware of scams
Never give out your information over the internet, phone or by mail, unless you’re sure about who will be receiving it. The “Prince of Nigeria” is alive and well and looking for easy targets. So if it seems too good to be true, investigate first! You can learn about the latest scams by visiting usa.gov/common-scams-frauds. Additionally, if you receive an email from a company and are unsure if it’s legitimate, consider double-checking the validity of the company by closing the email, opening a new browser, searching for their official sites and contacting them through their customer service.
2. Dispose of your personal information privately
Be sure to securely shred or delete sensitive documents and information. Wiping your retired electronics of all information before you dispose of them can also help prevent identity fraud.
3. Get creative with passwords
Create a strong password using more than six characters, a mix of letters and numbers, both upper and lowercase letters, and punctuation marks, such as exclamations. Avoid using your pet’s name, date of birth or other easily identifiable personal information.
4. Secure your browser
If you want to ensure your browser is secure, look for “https” at the beginning of the web address (the “s” stands for “secure”). Only access your accounts using networks and computers that you know are safe.
5. Stay sly on social media
Review your privacy settings on each site and enact privacy measures you’re comfortable with. Consider omitting your date of birth or full name from public online forums, and consider limiting who can view your profiles.
These five steps can help protect your private information online. To learn more about safeguarding your digital life, visit consumer.ftc.gov.
Please note that our offices, along with the financial markets, will be closed Monday, September 3rd, for the Labor Day holiday.