So much more of our lives are online now — from paying bills, to doing bank transactions, and even submitting taxes, it’s all online. Unfortunately, while online accessibility makes life easier, it also creates new opportunities for scammers.
Data breaches happen all the time, even to the biggest of companies, and they can affect you. If you have been notified that your data has been compromised, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself, and to limit your chances of it happening again.
1. Do not reuse passwords!
Do you use different passwords for each website or app that you use? If you do, congratulations. You are doing exactly what should be done. But the truth is that many people use one password across multiple sites, and scammers know this. To protect yourself, you need a separate and unique password for every site you use. Yes, it’s more work and you won’t be able to simply memorize your passwords, but your data will be better protected.
2. Use a Password Manager
If you’ve been trying to memorize your passwords or keep them on a file on your computer or on a piece of paper in your wallet, heads up — there’s a better way. A commercial password manager, such as Last Pass or 1 Password, will safely keep ALL your passwords protected and you can access them by remembering just one password. Password managers work with your computer’s browser and, once you sign in, will automatically fill in your passwords when you need them. Password managers add an extra level of security and help keep your data safe from thieves.
3. Be Very Cautious About Links in Emails
Use great caution about clicking a link in an email from someone you don’t know. Even when an email appears to come from a reputable business it is important to double check. If you click on the name in the “from” line in your email, it will display the actual email address that it was sent from. Looking at this will give you a good indication of whether it is legitimate or not. Did you get an email about a data breach or recall with a link? Rather than click, go to the company’s website and see the original source.
4. Monitor Your Finances
Have you been notified of a data breach? That is a signal that you should closely monitor your finances, including credit card usage, bank account activity, and applications for loans or credit. You may wish to sign up for the three big credit monitoring services (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) which will monitor for unusual or suspicious activity on your accounts. Information about credit reports and how to request yours is available here.
Email and the Internet have, in many ways, made our lives easier and more convenient. But everything comes with a cost, and having to be wary of scams is, unfortunately, one of them.
