Start the year with better security. Follow these three simple steps to help protect your information from scammers.
1. Secure your devices
Your phone, laptop or tablet hold a lot of personal and financial information, so it’s important to keep them safe.
- Keep your software up to date so your devices run smoothly with all the latest security fixes.
- Review your privacy settings to limit what apps can access, such as your location or profile. Scammers use this information to trick you.
- Be careful with free public Wi-Fi – it’s often not secure, so avoid using it for banking or payments.
2. Use two-factor authentication
Passwords alone aren’t enough protection as they can be stolen in data breaches.
Two-factor authentication (or “2FA”) adds another layer of security to your accounts, especially banking. Even if a scammer gets your password, they still won’t be able to log in.
3. Shopping online? Check the link and lock
Before entering your details online, make sure the website is secure:
- Look for the lock symbol in your browser bar.
- Check for “https” at the start of the web address – the “s” signals encryption.
- Read the link carefully – scam websites often have small errors in the link or look very similar to trusted sites.
This post was adapted from an article by Macquarie, available here.
This information is of a general nature only and has been provided without taking account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Because of this, you should consider whether the information is appropriate in light of your particular objectives, financial situation and needs. For further information on anything that has been discussed in this article, please consider seeking qualified and professional advice.
The Wealth Mentoring Group 