Start 2022 by protecting your personal information

Are you making resolutions for the new year? If so, add “protect my personal information” to the list. Scammers and hackers are always looking for new ways to steal your personal information online.

You can take steps to help protect your information. Jim Kreidler, consumer education specialist for the Federal Trade Commission, offers these tips:

• Keep your security software, internet browser, and operating system up to date. It helps make sure you have critical patches and protections against security threats.
• Create and use strong passwords. Making a password longer – 12 characters or more – is any easy way to increase its strength. Consider using random words so that your password is more memorable, but avoid using common words or phrases. Check out this password checklist, and don’t use the same password for different websites.
• Use multi-factor authentication. Some websites offer extra security by requiring two or more pieces of information to log in. You may have to give both a password and a passcode to log in. Multi-factor authentication makes it more difficult for scammers to log in to your accounts even if they steal your username and password.
• Back up your data to protect it. Keep an extra copy of all your files with a secure cloud storage service, or save your files to an external storage device. Then, if something happens – for example, a virus, your device crashes, or you’re hacked – you still have your files.
• Protect your home network. Your devices, accounts, and network are only as secure as your router, since it’s the connecting point between your devices and the internet. Check out how to make your router more secure.

By taking these steps, you’ll have a safer 2022. If you’re a victim of fraud, be sure to report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Happy New Year.

Comments

[Baby_boomster]

I try to change my passwords every once in a while. And, it seems like everything now is requiring a text to my phone or some other authentication. It's frustrating but necessary.

[Rita]

Good Idea to change your passwords regularly.

Yes, I've noticed some websites are trying to up their safety. Facebook, for some reason, thinks I'm using a different computer. It's making me review my comments to log in. It's crazy.

[Jennifer]

Working in a bank, I've seen so much fraud and attempted fraud because people use the same user names and passwords for everything. Two-step verification, although a pain sometimes, is important because you'll be notified if someone is trying to access your account.