How to keep your personal information safe online
May 30, 2023
As technology advances exponentially, it’s important to proactively protect your identity. Here are some easy ways to do it below. This will save you time and headaches unraveling any confusion that may arise.
freeze the credit
Freezing credit is a free and easy way to add an extra layer of protection to your identity. Unless you are opening a new line of credit, for example to buy a house or a car, there aren’t many reasons why a credit check should be rigorous. In fact, even when buying a house or car, you can temporarily unfreeze your credit for a limited period of time, or to a specific lender you need access to, and then reopen the freeze once you have the necessary information. increase. . I need to access each one. 3 credit bureaus You can freeze your credit online, by phone, or by mail. We recommend that you create an online account with each credit bureau so that you can easily unfreeze your credit if you need to do so temporarily.
Use a password manager
a password manager is a great tool to help protect your personal information online, it does more than just securely store and organize your passwords. It also-
- Helps generate strong passwords
- Monitor the dark web for potentially compromised personal information
- Alerts you to passwords that may have been involved in a data breach and should be updated
- Create emergency contacts so you can share your online logins with trusted family and friends.
check your credit report annually
it’s good practice check your credit report annually Just to make sure it’s correct and that there’s no suspicious activity. There are also credit monitoring services that alert you to unusual activity throughout the year. A few years ago, my husband and I experienced an online personal information breach. Thankfully we had a credit monitoring service in place so we were able to notice the unusual activity quickly and limit the damage, but someone opened multiple mobile phone accounts in our name. could not be prevented. From that point on, we decided to keep the credit frozen. Since then, this has made us feel very safe. I strongly recommend it.
Use only secure websites and Wi-Fi connections
How can you know if the website you are using is safe while browsing the Internet? One thing to check is if the web address starts with https://. This indicates that you are using a secure website. This is especially important when entering personal information or purchasing goods or services. Additionally, be cautious about using public Wi-Fi of any kind and, if possible, use a VPN, a virtual private network, to keep your internet connection secure.
Use a credit card for online purchases
Using a credit card instead of a debit card when making online (or real life) purchases is another way to add an extra layer of protection. Credit card usage has limitations of liability and also prevents thieves from accessing your real bank account. In addition to reversing fraudulent transactions, it also makes it easier to warn about normal activity and require approval for purchases over a certain amount.
While there are many things to keep in mind when trying to protect yourself online, these tips can go a long way in protecting your identity, trust, and personal information. What other tips do you use to protect yourself online?