Your personal data is at greater risk now more than ever before. According to cybersecurity experts, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. has experienced over 4,000 cyberattacks every day. The good news is that you have some control over how your personal data and credit are protected. Here are a few tips you can use to protect your credit from cybercriminals:
Use Identity Theft Protection
Smartphones and personal computers are carrier number one for our personal information and data. For security purposes, it’s recommended to set up strong passwords, turn on web browser blacklisting, and encrypt private information to deter any possible cyberattacks. At home, make sure your computer has identity theft protection. Because data transmission and storage security are imperative in the modern enterprise, you can typically find a wide array of cybersecurity software to protect your credit and information.
Keep Your Cybersecurity Up-to-Date
There are approximately 1.8 billion websites operating at the same time every day with 4.66 billion daily active Internet users. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people are online now than ever before, accessing online classes and doing work remotely. With more people online, there’s an increased risk of security breaches and identity theft. Make sure to use security software, update your programs often, monitor intrusion, and use firewalls.
Keep Your Electronics in a Safe When Not in Use
Burglaries carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, but that doesn’t stop the 2.5 million burglaries that happen in the U.S. every year. If your electronics are stolen, it’s more than just an inconvenience. Your electronics contain a lot of personal information including credit card numbers, bank account information, and more. It’s crucial to keep your electronics stored in a safe place, ideally an actual safe if you have one.
Don’t Use Public Wi-Fi
Day in day out, you find people on social media complaining about being hacked. Public Wi-Fi is a common reason why. When you use public Wi-Fi, you’re giving hackers the ability to distribute malware and plant infected software into your smartphone or computer using the connection point. While it may seem like a better idea to use Wi-Fi instead of your data, you could end up running the risk of having your information stolen.
Review Your Credit Reports
It’s a good idea to monitor your credit report so you can catch any purchases that may have been made in your name that you didn’t actually purchase. It may be easier to catch more expensive purchases such as appliances or shopping sprees, but keep in mind that fraudsters could use your credit information to make smaller purchases, too.
It’s important to make sure that you’re taking great care to protect your identity, credit, and financial information. Hackers and fraudsters don’t need much to steal your identity and ruin your credit.
