John Savage, CFHC, General Lines Insurance Agent
Are you concerned about your identify being compromised? Have you ever been a victim of ID Theft? It seems like the more the world is connected at the speed of light, the more we see ID Theft being a regular occurrence not just for individuals any more but for corporations as well. More company's are having to deal with malware, hacks, and spoofing at a rapid scale. These pirates are so bold that they are now and have been for some time, posing as companies like Apple, Paypal, Microsoft, Coinbase, IRS, T-Mobile, Verizon, ATT, BOA, you name it, there are more aggressive and bold than ever.
With that said, we as a people have to be even more vigilant with our information. We need to be alert of when, where, and how we share it. Even though nothing as 100 percent risk proof, we can take many steps to be more secure and mindful of not only our information but the the information of others as well, especially when it comes to the work place, whether working remotely or in office. Below are some steps you can start taking today to be not only more informed but better equipped to prevent adn protect against all your personal and vital information:
When you are searching online, make sure to not have a lot of window tabs opened. This is one way people use software to skim information such as credit card information, names, emails, and search details so they can then try to use your personal information with the use of a VPN or network of people they have partnered with to make purchases quickly using your information. Others will use some of this information to gather contact information, which is common, to send you spam or spook emails to try to lure you in giving up person information or try to sell you or something yo u don't need. I know, years a go, I have a lady reach out to me on LinkedIn with some software that I could use to capture peoples information as a lead source (not organic) in order to sell them on my products and services. I kindly declined paying $300 for this software.
Purchase a RFID wallet that has been verified as secured and highly reliable and comfortable to carry it on your persons throughout the day. Now you can find all types of wallets, billfolds, and purses that are built with RFID(radio Frequency) technology built in to protect your credit and debits cards from being scanned by people near you while at the check out counter, shopping at the store, at the gas station, restaurants, or somewhere else in public. This even works for those of you who also do business and other transaction with Cryptocurrency. There are many devices that you can carry with you on the go with you want to convert, store, and transfer funds securely such as the Tangem Wallet, Ellipal, the new Ledger Ring.
The point is, there are now more ways to secure your money and protect your privacy than ever and these are just some other alternative and creative ways of doing so.
For those of you who are more are seniors or want to provide extra protection for your social security information, you can set up an account online for free with the Social Security Administration. This way, someone else can't open up an account in your name if they get access to your information or attempt to. You can go into your account any time to manage and track your social security payments, history, and more.
you can go to Annual Credit Report to set access to your Credit Bureau Accounts for Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian. Annual Credit Report has a lot of great information and resource, although their website is a bit generic and could use a major upgrade for an overall better user experience.
Another tip that I recommend is setting up alerts in your bank and credit card accounts to be able to effectively track and monitor with alerts for any unusually activity or transactions. This is also great for managing your money better and know where all your dollars are going, especially if you are a big spender.
When you are searching online, make sure you close out all your windows and make purchase in private mode. Another option is to purchase a VPN subscription that will protect against hacks, trackers, ads, and more. I used them and they are great to have and very cheap. You can use a different IP address in a remote location for added protection and privacy.
You can also so up accounts with a number of credit reporting agencies out there to find out what information is being reported on you from car accidents to apartment evictions. Never leave your personal information up to another party, because who ever submits information about you whether true or false, often controls the narrative of what is stated. When you know where yo look, it is a lot easier to know why you make have been denied for credit, a major life purchase, and in some cases a job.
Protecting your Identity, online information, and reputation, take being proactive but also, staying off social media and not telling everybody where you are at, where you are going, and all your personal life details. Be aware, be cautious, and be prepared.
If you need guidance and support managing your credit and strategies to help with protecting your identify, visit www.unwindfinancial.org, and set up a Financial Counseling session today!