We hear stories all the time about company databases being hacked into and customer information being stolen. This is a particularly dangerous crime to fall victim to as it can leave you exposed to all sorts of aftermath. Through the breaching of data, hackers can collect personal details such as your credit card information, social security number, and banking passwords. This can lead to a variety of financial problems, including massive charges on your accounts, the draining of your savings, and even long-term damage to your credit.
With this type of crime is on the rise, it’s important to know how to protect yourself. Here are a few ways in which you can refrain from falling victim to data breaching:
Create a unique password that is difficult to guess:
One of the main ways that hackers break into your accounts is by figuring out your password. Here are some tips on creating a secure account password:
- Avoid using personal information like the street you live on, the name of your significant other, or the numbers of your birthdate, as these can easily be guessed.
- Combine numbers and letters together; randomly add in some uppercase letters to be extra secure
- Spell a word backwards
- Substitute zeros for O’s and vice versa
- Here are a few examples of ways in which to make your password stronger (via About Technology):
OK Password: kitty
Better Password: 1Kitty
Excellent Password: 1Ki77y
OK Password: mypuppylikescheese
Better Password: MyPuppyLikesCh33s3
Excellent Password: .MyPuppyLikesCh33s3
Have a unique password for each account that you log into:This is another great way to throw phishers off from trying to guess your password. To combat identity theft, Microsoft recommends that you change your password every 30 to 90 days.Change your passwords periodically:
Many people use the same password for their bank account as they do for their email and social media network. Guess what? Hackers know this. And once they get ahold of such a password, they will use it across all of your accounts. To prevent this from happening to you, create a unique password for each account that you access. That way, if one password is stolen, it won’t jeopardize the safety of all of your other accounts.
Have a hard time juggling all your account numbers? Jot them down in a notebook that you store in a safe place or use a software program like 1Password, LastPass, or KeePass to safely store them.
Be wary of emails, letters, text messages, or phone calls that ask for personal information:
It is highly unlikely that your bank or lender will not reach out to you through these methods to try and ask for additional information. If you receive any such request, immediately pick up the phone and call the associated institution to make sure that the request is valid. Never give out your personal information to one of these virtual request.
Monitor your accounts and statements
The damages done by data breaching can be best managed if it is caught early. For this reason, it’s important that you take some time each month to look through all of your account statements and check for discrepancies. Pull your credit report several times a year and give that a glance over. If you find anything that looks fishy, report it to the Credit Bureau immediately
These are just a few of the many ways in which you can work to ensure that your personal information stays safe from data breach attacks. Following these tips will put you ahead of the hackers. And if you’d like to go the extra mile to protect your online privacy, use MyLife. We gather your private information that’s exposed across the web and give you tools to remove unwanted public records.
AFP & AP
