January 2nd, 2019
Financial fraud is a continued growing concern. With all the transactions occurring online these days, it can be hard to keep your credit card information safe. Here are seven ways to help you keep your credit card information safe.
1. Look Out For Phishing.
Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails attempting to be from reputable companies or banks to induce you to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. It is important to avoid clicking on any website links that may look like your bank or credit card company, but the URL does not appear to be correct. When you need to log into your credit card or bank website, go directly to it and never use any provided links.
2. Make Sure That The Website Is Secure.
Know the difference between HTTP and HTTPS. HTTPS means that the site will be secure. If you go to a secure website and it reports a problem at the top (i.e., the certificate has expired or appears to be improper in any way), avoid making any purchase and giving out any personal and financial information. Contact your financial institution right away and inform them of the problem so that they can take the necessary steps to correct it.
If you own a website, make sure it is safe and secure. Your customers will feel safe knowing that you took the time ensuring that you put them first by protecting them. Sectorlink has a wide range of SSL certificates to choose from at reasonable prices.
3. Lost or Stolen Credit Card.
Report this information immediately to your financial institution and have the current credit card number closed out. Please do not delay this action as it can result in fraudulent charges and transfers from your bank/credit card account.
4. Reviewing Your Statements.
It is an excellent practice always to review your statements once a month. However, it is even a better practice to go online and check your account more frequently. Continued diligence will always pay off in catching something quickly and resolving the problem faster than finding out too late when you need your credit the most only to discover that you no longer have it because of fraud.
5. Keeping Your Computer Updated and Firewalled
Always keep your computer operating system updated and also ensure that you have firewall software installed. Your operating system typically has these features built-in. However, it is good practice to ensure that it is always on keeping you safe.
6. Security Software
Antivirus and malware protection software should always be installed. It only takes one time for such software to capture your financial information and send it to thieves who will gladly accept your money. There are also browser add-ons to aid in security. Using a script blocking add-on is a great tool to prevent unwanted adds and links that also pose a potential threat.
7. Strong Passwords
Always make sure that you use strong passwords. Are you the type of person that uses P@ssw0r4 ? If so, you are not alone. It would be best if you made a change right away because these types of passwords are not secure, and hackers know that anything1234 makes their job that much easier. Always use at LEAST 8 characters that use numbers, symbols, and letters, both capital and lower case.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.