SEVEN STEPS TO MORE DATA SECURITY:

1.  Freeze Credit Reports  …Probably the most important thing you should do! You can do this free with all three major credit reporting bureaus. This makes it tough for criminals to get your social security number and get a credit card, mortgage, buy a car, etc. in your name. You can temporarily unfreeze the reports if you need to;  but when you do, just do it for a minimal time, like 24 hours.

2.  Just Say “NO” …Be stingy with personal information. The less data you give out, the less there is to be  stolen. You are not obligated to comply with every request for personal data.

3.  Guard Your Mother’s Maiden Name  …Since crooks can search online for details such as your mother’s maiden name or where you went to elementary school, use memorable but fictitious details for online security questions.

4.  Be Unique  …Using strong passwords is a must, but it is just as critical to use different ones for each site. You don’t want cybercriminals to luck into your bank password if they happen to hack into another site you go to.

5.  Write It Down …In a perfect world, you’d create your hard-to-hack 11 character alphanuneric passwords to memory. But it’s not a perfect world. Write down your passwords and keep them somewhere safe.

6.  Use A Burner eMail …Create a separate eMail address for one-time purchases and for other stuff. That will limit the risk to the eMail address you use as your main eMail address.

7.  Monitor Your Accounts  …Look for suspicious activity on financial accounts, credit card statement, etc. Get Lifelock…https://www.lifelock.com/

 

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