If you have listened to the news lately, I’m sure you have heard stories about the recent breaches of personal and credit information that have taken place all over the country. While there is little that you can do if your information has been compromised due to hackers infiltrating the payment information of a major retailer, there are some things you can do to safeguard your credit information and make it less likely that you will become a victim. Here are some simple actions that go a long way towards safeguarding your credit information.
Use Complex Passwords And Unique PINs
One of the simplest ways for a hacker to access accounts that hold personal information is by guessing a weak password, personal identification number, or security question. A recent breach of Apple’s iCloud program occurred because the hackers were able to guess the answers to account security questions after researching their victims online. If you want your information to stay protected, use complex passwords for your computer, mobile device, and each of your accounts. Use auto-lock functions as much as possible and stay away from passwords that contain your name, your children’s names, your birthdate or part of your social security number.
Check For Encryption Symbols
If you use your computer to review information from your financial accounts, pay bills, or purchase items from online stores, it is important to check for encryption symbols that indicate that your personal information will be protected before entering any of that information into the online form. Common encryption symbols to look for include a padlock icon next to the company’s URL when on the website or a URL that begins with “https” before the backslashes. You should also make sure that you are not using an open, public Wi-Fi connection when transmitting your information as it could be intercepted in transit.
Destroy Documents Containing Personal Information
You would be surprised at how many people have had their personal information compromised because they threw something away that contained their account numbers or social security number. It is very easy for criminals picking through the trash or recycling to take this information and open fraudulent accounts in your name. The best course of action is to shred these documents and throw them away in large bags full of other shredded papers. This will make it nearly impossible for identity thieves to piece together the information.