It may seem like protecting your personal information is just one more thing to add to the to-do list, but being proactive now could save you a mountain of work later. At Peoples Bank & Trust, we believe your identity is the most precious thing you have. To help you keep it safe we offer the following steps to help you keep it as secure as possible.
- Check your credit score. By looking at your personal credit report each and every month, you can catch any potential errors as soon as they occur instead of months or years later.
- Never give out personal details. Phishing scams can come by phone or by email. Always be sure to use your designated contact at a company and never give out information to someone you don’t know.
- Use software like Lifelock for extra support. Lifelock and other similar companies offer a valuable safety net when it comes to your individual identity. Their services can help to supplement the efforts you complete on a monthly or annual basis.
- Keep all sensitive or personal information secure in a safety deposit box. Items such as birth certificates, social security cards, and other valuable documentation can be secured in one of our insured safety deposit boxes. At an affordable annual rate, you can be sure all of your documents are always locked and stored away.
- If you’re unsure about a phone call, always check its source. If you receive a call and are unsure of the intentions of the caller, we suggest checking the source of the call through White Page’s reverse number
- Be on the lookout for tempting clickbait. As you browse across the internet be wary of clickable links that share controversial titles on the side or bottom of the page. These can lead to spam sites which could harm your computer and/or your personal information.
- Remember not to click on attachments from senders you don’t know. When you’re viewing your email, be wary of senders you don’t recognize. If the sender doesn’t appear to be a person or brand you know, avoid clicking on any attached links as they may attempt to hack or spam your device.
- Use different passwords for different accounts. There are numerous great services like Last Pass which can help you maintain different passwords and usernames for each of your various accounts. This ensures that should one become compromised, hackers are unable to access any other information through like logins.
- Always use upper and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers when creating passwords. As you’re creating new passwords and accounts, remember to make your logins as secure as possible to avoid becoming an easy target for potential hackers.
- Steer clear of public wifi. While public wifi can sometimes be a blessing for the traveling business person, it can also pose a dangerous opportunity for nearby cyber criminals. Unless you gain the wifi password from an employee of the business, never assume signage or non-password protected portals are safe connections.
At Peoples Bank & Trust we hope you and your information stay safe. If you ever want to enhance your cyber security or identity theft protection, stop in and speak to one of our personal bankers. We offer services such as safety deposit boxes to help keep your important documents secure, and our team is always available to help if you find yourself facing fraudulent activity online.
