Fraudulent charges to your personal or business accounts can be both financially and emotionally devastating. Even if you do eventually recover the funds, the stress and time that results from having been stolen from can take a toll.
Most of us know the basics when it comes to protecting ourselves from fraud. Prevent identity theft by keeping your social security number and other personal information as private as possible. Shred credit card statements and other similar documents before disposing of them. Only make purchases and/or share financial information on secure websites. Only use cards featuring chip technology.
What else can we do to keep our businesses and ourselves safe? Here are some little-known but super-smart tips that apply to both your personal life and your business:
- Do not save your credit card on websites when checking out. Every website that stores your credit card is another possible exposure of your credit card information.
- Contact your bank and find out what additional protections they offer. Some banks will send you a text message when transactions happen. Some banks have apps that will send you a push notification when there is a new transaction.
- Know which signs to look for when you shop online for merchandise for your home or business. Search for two things: a padlock icon at the top of your browser window, and an "https" preceding the website address; these indicate that your shopping session is secure and your data is encrypted.
- Never use duplicate passwords for online accounts. This is especially true for sites containing any of your financial information. Fraud experts know that many people use the same password for virtually everything, or for all sites related to their business, and they've figured out how to make that work to their advantage.
- If you receive a voice mail or email from one of your credit card companies requesting that you call them back, do not simply hit "call back" on your phone. To be safe, always only dial the number on the back of the credit card that the call is supposedly concerning.
- Check your online privacy often. Make it a habit to regularly check your Internet browser and social media site privacy settings to ensure they are set to your satisfaction. Do this on both your home and your business computers. Keep in mind that some social media sites, including Facebook, can make changes without your permission affecting your privacy that you then subsequently have to adjust; that's why it's good to check in once in a while. Also, clear your browser's cache often so no one can view private information.
- If a website requests your credit card information "for identification purposes only," and you aren't making a purchase, do not provide the information, no matter how reasonable the request may seem under the circumstances. There is simply never any sound reason why you should provide such info apart from making a purchase.
For insurance questions, call or contact Robins Insurance today.