adminOctober is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, making now a perfect time to think about protecting your personal information while you’re online for business or personal use. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is sharing tips for Internet safety and resources that credit unions can share with their members.
Online safety tips
- Lock your devices just like you lock your front door. Use a passcode or fingerprint to lock your phone or tablet. If you have a computer, use a strong password that’s at least 12 characters long.
- Know the red flags of online scams. If someone contacts you and asks you to pay by wire transfer or gift card, don’t do it. It’s a scam.
- Share with care. Limit how much personal information you share online. Set your social media profiles to private. If someone asks to connect with you on social media, only accept their request if you know them.
The CFPB also created a new fraud prevention placemat and handout to help you share online safety tips with others.
If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, whether it’s online or not, report it immediately to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ftc.gov/complaint or by calling 1-800-FTC-HELP.
For more online safety tips, visit staysafeonline.org .
