10 Tips For Avoiding Identity Theft
By: Jack DaSilva, Security Officer, Univest Corporation
As online shopping and electronic payment have become more commonplace, so has the number of identity thefts. According to a 2013 study completed by Forrester Research, 14.9 million US adults were the victim of identity theft in the 12 months prior to the completion of the study.
Here are some suggestions to help you safeguard your finances and personal information.
1. Create Strong Passwords. Use 8-14 character combinations of letters, numbers and symbols. If it’s easy to remember, it’s easy to hack. Test the strength of your password at www.passwordmeter.com.
2. Watch For Shoulder Surfers. When entering PIN numbers in ATM machines or zip codes at the gas pumps, cover the view of the keyboard with your hand to obstruct onlookers and cameras.
3. Logout When You’re Done.Refrain from using public computers to access personal information on the internet. If you must access an online account on a public computer, always log out, then close the browser, so thieves can’t use your history to compromise your personal information. Better yet; don’t use public computers to access online accounts.
4. Secure Your Network. Always encrypt and password-protect home and office wireless networks. These simple steps protect your sensitive information and keep hackers and intruders out.
5. Shred Sensitive Documents.Bank statements, credit card offers, cancelled checks; all contain information identity thieves can use to access your accounts. Invest in a document shredder and ensure your documents are destroyed properly.
6. Go Phish.Beware of e-mails pretending to be banks, credit card companies or stores asking you to click a link to update account information. Always go directly to the company’s site to log in. Don’t click through the pop-up screen.
7. Don’t Overshare Information. Avoid sharing personal information such as birth dates, home addresses, mother’s maiden name on social networking sites because hackers gather this information and build databases to attempt to access your accounts.
8. Be Stingy with Social Security Numbers. If asked, suggest another identifier: cyber criminals can use SSNs to access banking and credit accounts, even medical records.
9. While You’re Away, Identity Thieves Will Play.Tourists are easy targets: always check your credit and debit card accounts for unauthorized purchases when you get home. You should reviewyour credit report from the three credit bureaus on an annual basis to ensure your information is correct and doesn’t look abnormal.
10. Invest in identity theft protection.Take advantage of Univest's special introductory offers on LifeLock® protection with a Univest checking account. For complete details, visit http://www.univest.net/2014-checking-campaign/
Univest takes strict measures to protect your personal information. Learn more on our blog, My Univest, about how we protect our customersand additional things you can do to protect yourself.
Univest Bank and Trust Co. is member FDIC
- Log in to post comments
