Protect Your New Financial Accounts: Take Ownership Before Someone Else Does
These days it’s not uncommon to have accounts at more than one financial institution; for example, a 401(k) may not be held at the same place as a checking account and student loan. It’s important to create online accounts for each one because fraudsters can hijack accounts lacking online established credentials. Without a user ID, password, and/or multi-factor authentication, it’s possible for crooks to pose as the account holder and establish a new online account. Once inside, they may be able to send funds anywhere in the world!
Bottom line:Set up online accounts or contact the institution to ensure one can’t be established as soon as possible.
Find Your Lost Phone: Prepare before it’s too late.
We’ve all done it. Losing or misplacing a mobile phone is disastrous. The good news is it can be tracked down with special tools. Just make sure to set them up beforehand!
Android phones: Make sure you’ve added a Google Account to your phone. To find your phone, it must:
- Be turned on, signed in to a Google Account, connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi, visible on Google Play, and have Location and Find My Device in the Security Settings turned on.
- Go to android.com/find to locate it on the map. You can make it ring, lock the phone or even wipe the data.
iPhones: To find your phone, it must:
- Be online and have Find My iPhone set up
- Go to icloud.com/find, sign in with your Apple ID and look for the green (online) or gray dot (offline) on the map
Breaches and Passwords
Millions of people have fallen victim worldwide to at least one data breach. Cybercriminals have illegally accessed data sources such as Target, Yahoo, and TJ Maxx, and extracted personal information. Privacy remains a concern for us all.
If you find out your information has been compromised, we suggest the following:
- Change your password on the affected web site. And,
- NEVER use the same password across multiple web sites. If you do, it is easy for a cybercriminal to find other sites you use and login with that password.
- DO NOT reuse an old password as it may have been part of an older breach.
- Be wary of suspicious emails asking for credentials.
- Monitor your bank accounts for unusual activity and NEVER give your account information or online credentials to anyone!
- Ask about or take part in a fraud protection program. Many times, the affected company/retailer will offer it for free.
Visit the Security Center for FMFCU Security Policies and Procedures, today’s latest online security news, and tips to keep your computer up-to-date.