It’s easy to become complacent and let your guard down online, so every once in a while it’s good to be reminded of what you can do to keep your identity safe. Fair to say, in 2019 there were 3.2 million identity theft and fraud reports received, 651,000 of which were identity theft complaints (2019 Identity Fraud Study, Javelin). This is not a problem that is going away any time soon. So what can you do to stay safe?
Here’s 5 ways to secure your online identity:
1. Offline
At home, keep important financial and identity documents stored away securely. When you go out only take the few pieces of identification and bank cards that you need with you. Think carefully about what you throw in to the trash and if it could be used by a fraudster to prove your identity or guess a password - receipts, documents, bank letters, prescription medication labels, etc.
2. Online
Always be on the lookout for social engineering scams where a person will gain your trust to learn personal information about you so that they can then use it to gain access to your accounts and identity. Be aware of impersonators who may appear to be your friends, sending you emails asking for you to confirm personal information or send money, or phishing emails that ask you to log in to a website via a link.
3. Keep all of your devices secure
Set up Two Factor Authorization (2FA) or Multi-Factor Authorization (MFA) on your email and other apps when offered. Make sure to do all of the software updates when requested as many of these fix bugs that may make your device vulnerable to hackers. Many cyber attacks are preventable and keeping your software up to date is one of the best things you can do to prevent an attack.
4. Use a Password Manager to make all passwords strong, private and secure
Every single account that you use needs to have a different password associated with it. It is impossible to remember all of these different passwords so this is where a password manager comes in. These tools not only generate a strong, random password for you, but they save it to a vault that has a master password that you do remember. There are some great password managers out there such as: 1Password, Dashlane, NordPass, LastPass, RoboForm, or email to find out more about Raytio’s SecretSafe.
5. Don’t overshare on Social Networking sites
Unless you’re trying to make a career of being a social media influencer, it’s best not to overshare online. Make sure to set your Facebook and Instagram privacy settings to ‘friends and family’ only, that way strangers cannot find out personal information like where you live, your children’s names, your dog’s name, and events you will be attending. Be suspicious if a friend asks you for personal information or money, and be very wary of opening attachments or clicking links that take you to other websites. Twitter is always open and public, so what is posted online, stays online. Think carefully about what you post and don’t put a photo or comment out there that could come back to haunt you years down the track. Finally, only accept friend requests from people you know in real life, or from verified celebrity, public figure, or business accounts.
Good luck!