One of the benefits of the digital age is the freedom that comes from being able to access and manage your important accounts and data from anywhere – but it also comes with risk. And financial accounts are especially vulnerable because they contain not only your personally identifiable information but your literal assets.
Here are a few things we recommend to help keep your accounts safe and secure:
Stay Up to Date on Common Scams
Cybersecurity is constantly evolving – as are cyberthreats. You don’t need to be an expert to stay safe but it can help to stay aware of the common scams that are out there. Knowing what to steer clear of will help you identify it when it pops up.
Monitor Your Accounts
Financial accounts should not follow the “set it and forget it” model. Check in on your accounts regularly in order to identify any suspicious activity and alert your financial institutions to any concerns ASAP. If you do see suspicious activity, report it and update your security protocols accordingly.
Check Your Credit Report
While you’re at it, add an annual reminder to check out your credit report. Not only will you be able to proactively identify any issues and remedy them, but you’ll know off hand how your credit score is increasing!
Practice Good Password Hygiene
Even with password managers and two factor authentication, password hygiene and strength is still very important. Make sure you avoid reusing passwords on multiple accounts, employ strong passwords that use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols, and adhere to a regular schedule of password changing to keep your accounts current and secure.
Add 2FA to Your Accounts
Go above and beyond strong passwords with two factor authentication. Adding a second step to prove your identity goes a long way in keeping dangerous elements out of your accounts. It may seem slightly annoying but it does a lot to protect you in the long run.
Be Wary of Public WiFi
Just because you can access your accounts from anywhere, doesn’t mean you should. Avoid public devices and public or non password protected WiFi when accessing secure information.
Consider Additional Tools
There are also additional tools that may be helpful in keeping your accounts safe:
- Password Manager: a tool to help keep track of your passwords, identify any security issues, etc.
- Identify Theft Monitoring: a tool that helps to proactively alert you of breaches and concerns
Keeping your accounts secure may feel overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be a full-time job. With a few key steps and some important habits, you can help to mitigate the risk that comes with online and mobile access.