It’s National Consumer Protection Week, and TopLine Financial Credit Union is committed to arming you with the information you need to keep yourself protected. Here are some tips to help prevent hackers and scammers from stealing your passwords:
Tips for Creating a Strong Password:
- Use at least 15 characters. A longer password would be even better!
- Try to be unpredictable – don’t use names, dates, or common words. Mix numbers, symbols, and capital letters into the middle of your password, not at the beginning or end.
- Don’t use the same password for many accounts. If it’s stolen from you – or from one of the companies where you do business – thieves can use it to take over all your accounts.
- Don’t share passwords on the phone, in texts or by email. Legitimate companies will not ask you for your password.
- Consider using a passphrase. Don’t choose from the most common words, and don’t choose quotes or sayings. The words should be as random as possible. Four words should be sufficient. Five words is even better.
Protect Your Phone:
Passwords aren’t just for computers anymore. An incredible amount of sensitive information is stored on people’s cell phones. Here are some tips to keep your phone safe:
- Have your phone set to lock when you’re not using it.
- Use a password/passcode to unlock the phone.
- If your device allows, use fingerprint or face scanning technology to secure phone.
- If available, lock specific apps with passwords/passcodes.
- Use two-factor authentication: in addition to normal security measures, it will also ask for another piece of information such as a PIN number, password, security questions, or even a fingerprint or face scan.
For more information and additional security tips, visit our Financial Security page on our website.
