Allowing strangers to abuse your financial and personal data without your knowledge can definitely put you in fear and it is a very serious matter to look into, thus it certainly does require second thoughts on how to safeguard it. However, most people do not give it the due consideration or probably they just do not know how to. Therefore, we will educate you on how to safeguard your personal and financial data.Create your password wisely
When creating a password, do not take it for granted by setting a weak one where it can be easily hacked with just a single guess. Try creating a secure, memorable password which is easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess. Go for a password with at least 8 characters long that includes
numbers, characters and symbols. Use different passwords for different accounts and try
changing the passwords regularly.
Install a firewall
A firewall is a part of a computer system or network which can be implemented in either hardware or software or a combination of both. It is designed to block unauthorized access to prevent personal and financial data from being stolen. Nowadays, computers have often come along with a firewall integrated into their operating systems. For those who also have a DSL or a cable modem can provide extra protection as these modems came along with another firewall.
Install and Perform Frequent Update on Antispyware and Antivirus Programs
More often than not, new computers often come along with trial versions of antivirus and antispyware programs which tend to expires within a short period of time. However, in many cases people tend to take it with a pinch of salt ignoring that fact that they are suppose to update their programs as they think that their existing programs are still protecting them, with the reason; “the program is still operating”. This is so not true because their computers are not protected from new viruses as the programs simply cannot detect these viruses. Currently, the popular antivirus programs would be AVG 8.5 version and Kaspersky Anti-virus 2009. If you think it is a little too costly, try Alwil Avast as it is free antivirus software with spyware protection.
More often than not, new computers often come along with trial versions of antivirus and antispyware programs which tend to expires within a short period of time. However, in many cases people tend to take it with a pinch of salt ignoring that fact that they are suppose to update their programs as they think that their existing programs are still protecting them, with the reason; “the program is still operating”. This is so not true because their computers are not protected from new viruses as the programs simply cannot detect these viruses. Currently, the popular antivirus programs would be AVG 8.5 version and Kaspersky Anti-virus 2009. If you think it is a little too costly, try Alwil Avast as it is free antivirus software with spyware protection.
Do Not Open Mystery Attachments
Recipients must be alert when receiving attachments especially it is being received from an unknown party. Do not simply open them as they contained viruses or links that lead recipients to dummy sites where they will ask for victims’ financial or personal information. In such a case, there is a high chance that personal data may be stolen.
Use your own computer
Try to avoid using public computers to access into your brokerage account as they may contain software that are able to steal your financial or personal information such as passwords. If you happened to be using one their computers, remember to delete your “Temporary Internet Files” as well as all of your “History” right after you have log off your account.
Be More Alert When Using Wireless Connections
Usually wireless connections may not provide as much security protection as do wired Internet connections especially those in public areas where the most common one would be Internet cafés and hotels. These places tend to even lesser security protection in order to ease users when accessing and using these wireless networks. Therefore, it is advisable to not access your online brokerage through wireless connections.
Get Confirmation First
If it ever happens to you where there is an unknown party who requests you to first send your information by mail over the phone, do not do as they told immediately as they may be fraudulent. Call up the organization to obtain the confirmation on such occurrence first. In another case, if you ever received telemarketing calls at home, and you want to put an end to it; you may file a complaint for free to the National Do Not Call registry. This is because most telemarketers are not allowed to call your number once it has been your registry for 31 days.
Limit Your Credit Card Usage
When you purchase stuff through mail-order, it is advisable to limit your credit card usage to prevent dishonest sales clerk or any other responsible person from stealing your personal credit card information. The same principle applies when you opt for online services in order to prevent thieves from racking up bills before hitting a wall.
Be More Alert when Using ATM Machine
While using the ATM, be more alert to your surroundings and you should look up and around every few seconds while transacting your business. Do not enter your PIN if there is someone else who can see your screen. You should first shield your PIN with your body from onlookers. Try not to use spouse, children, maiden or pet names for your PIN number. In our opinion, we think that our account will be a lot more secure if banks can also provide fingerprint or iris scanning as another step of verification.
Be careful Downloading
Be wary when downloading software programs especially free software or programs from an unknown source. This is because there may be a higher chance of you downloading harmful software programs on your computer or such software may contain other software such as spyware. Protect yourself from such programs by ensuring that you are using anti-spyware software and be sure to know the nature of the software, its source, and its functions before installing it.
In short, we advised all users to be alert and caution at all the times, do safeguard your personal and financial data properly; if you manage your properties well, then you will be safe. In our opinion, the first step to safeguard is to at least have a basic foundation on how cybercrimes works and occur. Then, from here; users can start analyzing on how to prevent them.
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