The truth is that there is no way to be 100% secure. Having said that, there are many things you can do to greatly decrease your chances of having your identification and cyber security breached.
Fraud attempts using malware are on the rise. These can include pop ups on your web browser and emails you receive. Fraudsters are creative and are constantly finding new ways to gain access to your information.
Some of the strongest defenses to detect and prevent fraud include:
· Regularly monitor Alerts and be aware of unusual activity, and especially transactions that appear suspicious.
· When contacting your credit card company, always call the number on the back of your credit card and never respond to numbers provided on your voice mail or other message system. This is a common method used by fraudsters to get you to call them and give your personal information.
· Avoid opening links and attachments, or downloading programs from unknown sources.
For example: LinkedIn sends periodic messages and notifications– never click the link - even if you are member. Close the message, open your browser and log in to that website.
· Refrain from using the public Wi-Fi available in hotels, restaurants, airports, coffee shops or libraries, especially to conduct business or logging into personal information such as banking.
· Keep your operating system up-to-date and run frequent virus scans (have them run automatically with the latest malware and anti-virus software).
· Use a firewall.
The best security means layers. The best security also means less convenience – there is a trade-off and you must find the right balance. But in the end, so worth it!
