10 Ways to Keep Your Financial Information Safe from Hackers

True story: people are always at risk of having their personal data compromised by hackers. To complicate matters, users find themselves inundated with an increasing number of online shopping platforms and “safe” online banking sites, including online wallets.

A lot of the time when we want to order stuff online, we are sometimes apprehensive to do so because of the increasing rate of cyber-crime. The fact that cyber-crime is progressing day by day cannot be ignored. Hackers seem to be one step ahead of security. There are some people who have suffered greatly because of this; their bank accounts have been emptied and the bank can’t seem to help and sometimes do not refund this stolen money. Unless certain limited conditions are met with personal back hacking, chances are you might never see that stolen money again.

One of the major causes of security breaks is due to your own lack of awareness. For example, if you use the same passwords for all your social media sites and other platforms, you are at a high risk and can be targeted easily. Surprisingly, a great majority of people tend to keep the same or similar passwords for all their online assets, which puts them at risk.

Cybercrime is spreading its roots day by day, and it is better to be on the safe side by implementing certain security measures. Below are some handy tips to keep you safe from cybercriminals. Make sure you follow these to avoid becoming a victim of cybercrime.

1. Use Two-Factor Authentication:

Most major social media websites and apps have this feature. When you login from a new and unknown browser, your account will ask for a security code that is sent to your phone number. This feature is one of the best security elements. It means that a hacker wouldn’t be able to access your account even if he or she has guessed the password right.

2. Don’t Save Passwords:

Whenever you log in to your IDs from public places, make sure you un-tick the ‘save password’ button. If you don’t do so, your passwords will be saved on that public browser. Also, don’t forget to log out of your accounts once you are done with everything.

3. Avoid Open Wi-Fi or Hotspots:

As much as you can, avoid connecting accessing open Wi-Fi or hotspots. There is a high chance of your private and financial information being compromised if you do so.

4. Anti-Virus Software:

Use anti-virus software to track any threats that may be on your PC or laptop. Anti-virus software will automatically give you an update if something unusual happens on your system. AVG is a pretty good free antivirus, I’ve used it the past and recommend it. (No, I’m not getting paid to say that. :))

5. Different Passwords:

Using the same passwords for all your social media handles and online accounts will make it easy for a hacker to hack all your accounts just by guessing one password. Imagine all your online accounts being hacked. It would be your worst nightmare.

6. Activate “Wipe Your Phone” Feature:

This feature is now found on every smart phone. So, whenever you set up your phone, don’t forget to activate it. If your phone gets stolen or you lose it somewhere, with this feature, it is easy to wipe all your data from your PC or laptop. So technology wins, hackers lose!

7. Don’t Click on Pop-ups:

No matter how appealing or attractive a pop up link may seem, don’t ever click on it. Hackers use this trick to copy all your data from your computer. This is the easiest way for hackers of getting all your information at their finger tips.

8. Don’t Save Credit/Debit Card Details:

Never ever save your card details on any website you use. No matter how regularly you use it. All your data will be saved on the website’s server automatically, and any hacker could easily scrape it off of that particular site.

9. Shop at Verified Websites:

Online shopping has become increasingly popular these days. When shopping online, you need to make sure the website you’re shopping at is verified. It is very easy for a hacker to set up a fake shopping website and extract your information with ease. Beware!

10. Get a Secure Connection:

Make sure your home Wi-Fi is protected and secure. If it’s not, then get it secured. Contact your service provider if you have any doubts regarding this issue. Of course, there will be occasions when you might need to log in to your account from a public computer. However, you should use your bank’s mobile app and your mobile data.

These are some basic tips that will keep your financial and personal information safe from hackers. Keep these in mind whenever you are creating an account or logging in to your account from public places or even at home.
The more you “trust, but verify”, likely the lower your chances will be of becoming a cyber crime victim.

Remember, as technology innovates so does the risk of cyber-crime. All these hackers are one step ahead of all the security measures.

How else do you protect your personal information?