Protect Your Identity This National Data Privacy Day - Money Tip Tuesday

It’s national data privacy day! What better day to focus your attention on keeping your data secure than now. Take a couple of moments today and throughout the week to evaluate and safeguard your identity so you can effectively protect yourself from current or future threats.  

Links:

• Check out resources from the National Cybersecurity Alliance and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency 
• Learn more about the features and benefits of a Better Checking Account with IDProtect
• Register or log into our Better Checking portal to access the credit score tracker, credit report and other account benefits

Transcript: 

Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast.  

One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to take identity and privacy threats seriously. There are new breaches occurring every day that choosing to not take steps for proper security could be costly. It's critical to put guards in place before any threat arises.  

If you use digital services, tools and technology, National Privacy Day, and Week, is a great time to assess your existing security protocols and determine whether you’re adequately protected.  

With fraud threats everywhere, it’s important to remember to stay on top of current scams to keep your privacy secure. Familiarize yourself with common tactics scammers use to trick you as well as stay abreast of new tactics arising. Check out the National Cybersecurity Alliance at Stay Safe Online for up to date information and resources about proper cyber protection. You can also explore resources and tools from the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency at CISA.gov.  

Other, more active steps to take involve reviewing your current situation and identifying any areas where security could be improved.  

Ensure all account passwords are secure, that you have proper PIN or biometric authentication on all devices and that all have been maintained with the most recent updates.  

Monitor all your credit and credit card information. Make sure you’re paying attention to all your credit cards and have sufficient access to card controls to easily turn them off if they’re lost or stolen. Set up notifications for immediate awareness any time your cards are used. Receiving a simple message on card usage gives you the ability to act immediately if a suspicious charge occurs.  

Keep an eye on your credit score for any inconsistencies or anomalies. Familiarize yourself by checking your score and viewing your current credit report. Your credit report will list out all your open credit lines, loans and other information like credit inquiries, payment history and other personal data regarding your credit activity. Look over the report to ensure all the activity is legitimate and accurate. 

Finally, consider identity theft protection. Having identity theft protection offers benefits that help prevent fraud as well as cover you in case fraud occurs. These services monitor data bases and the dark web for sensitive information that way if any issue arises, you can act swiftly to resolve any issues. They also offer expense reimbursement, case managers and recovery assistance to help all throughout the recovery process.  

With a Triangle Better Checking account you can get affordable access to amazing identity theft protection benefits for a small monthly fee of $4.99. With this one account you’ll gain access to identity theft monitoring, reimbursement coverage, a credit score tracker, credit reporting, card registration as well as reimbursement coverage and full service identity recovery with a case manager if you ever become a victim. To learn more about the benefits and for further account information, visit trianglecu.org. 

If you already have a Better Checking account you’re already enrolled in the protection service but to access the other great benefits register at betterchecking.trianglecu.org to get started there.  

If keeping your identity and sensitive information is high on your priority list, take some time today or throughout the week to set up additional protections for your devices and identity. 

If there are any other tips or topics you would like us to cover, let us know at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org. Like and follow our Making Money Personal FB and IG page and look for our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union on social media to share your thoughts.  

Thanks for listening to today’s Money Tip Tuesday and check out our other tips and episodes on the Making Money Personal podcast.  

Have a great day!