As a lot of us have had to find out the hard way, identity theft is a real threat and it can be damaging to your finances and personal life. Make sure you’re doing all you can to keep yourself safe. Here are 5 things you can do to stay protected.

Have secure passwords.

Stop using the word ‘password’ as your password. And don’t use your mother’s maiden name. Create a complex password that only you can remember. For instance, maybe you’re a big Alabama football fan. Use initials, symbols, and numbers to create your password. For example: *BamaWins3020!  Nobody’s going to guess that one. According to howsecureismypassword.net, it would take a computer millions of years to crack that password.

Shred sensitive information.

Your weekly routine probably involves bringing your garbage can out to the street on trash day. Make sure when this happens, you’re not throwing anything away that an identity thief could find valuable. Anything that contains account numbers, banking information, or social security numbers would be a gold mine for a thief. Get online, buy a paper shredder and put it to work. This is the easiest way to help yourself stay protected.

Check your credit report.

If checking your credit report isn’t something you do regularly, you should make it one. If a thief opens up an account in your name, this will affect your credit score and that can be an easy red flag to detect. Try annualcreditreport.com.

Be careful with the internet.

Cybercriminals can get your information a few ways, one of which is phishing. Phishing is when a cybercriminal defrauds you of sensitive information by posing as a legitimate company that you trust. Make sure you never click a link in an email that’s asking you for personal information. You’ll never get an email like this if you didn’t request it, and even then, contact the company and have it verified. Also, make sure you’re not doing sensitive things like logging into your bank website from a coffee shop’s wifi. Wait until you get home to check your account balance.

Monitor your accounts.

It’s important to login to your online banking often, and review each transaction. If you find something that wasn’t purchased by you, contact your financial institution immediately. It’s very important to monitor your accounts regularly and keep a close eye on your money.

Don’t wait until it’s too late! Be sure to enroll in First Financial’s Identity Theft Protection Program from Sherpa today. The best part? You can enroll right online, 24/7. You can trust in First Financial and Sherpa to help keep your personal information protected. Packages begin at just $5.99 per month – so click here to enroll today!

Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com