When trying to avoid fraud, there are steps that you can take to help you reduce your risk of being targeted. By following these steps, you can help reduce access to your information.
Safely Surf the Internet
- S stands for Secure: When you view a website, before you enter any personal, financial, or medical data into a form, look for the S in https://. The S means that website meets security standards to deliver your information to the owner of the website, helping to reduce your risk if you provide information or make a purchase from that site.
- Watch for typos: Everyone makes mistakes, but in general a large amount of typos and errors on a website can be a red flag.
- Use bookmarks: If you visit a website on a regular basis, create a bookmark to that site to ensure that you are visiting the same website address each time. A good rule of thumb is to bookmark the websites of your financial institutions.
Create a Secure Password
While you may have heard that it is not safe to use the same password on multiple websites, there are other tips that can assist in creating unique passwords that prevent unauthoized access. Microsoft offers additional information about how to create a secure password and how to secure your passwords.
Set Up Two-Factor Authentication
Adding Two-Factor Authentication to your email accounts, social media accounts, and other websites ensures a secondary step prior to allowing unfamiliar access to that account. This may come in the form of a code texted to you, a phone call to verify your identity, or use of an authenticator app. When you are given a code, it is important to NOT to share it with anyone.
Secure Your Devices
Keeping your desktop, phone, and other internet-connected devices is important in keeping your information secure. The Federal Trade Commission provides more information on how to keep your devices secure.
Set Up Account Alerts & Notifications
Being aware of the activity on your accounts could be a crucial first step in discovering fraud. First Northern offers this service and you can learn how to set up account alerts here.
Safely Shop Online
When shopping online, before you enter your payment information into an unfamiliar website, make sure you've done your due diligence to ensure you're not putting your information at risk. The Federal Trade Commission provides additional information about how to safely shop online.
Document Retention
Keeping documents for your records can be important for legal purposes. However, not all documents need to be kept for the same amount of time and some documents don't need to be kept for very long at all. If you'd like to know more, Forbes provides a helpful article about what to shred and how often.