4 tips to limit your risk of ID theft and protect your accounts
It seems like every month we are hearing about another data breach at our favorite retail establishments. It is also estimated that over 16 million people were victims of ID theft in 2017*. Thankfully, there are ways to limit your risk of ID theft and protect your credit union accounts. We are here with 4 helpful tips you can implement today!
Sign up for Online Banking and eStatements:
Did you know one of the most common ways thieves steal your identity and private information is by going through your garbage or “dumpster diving.” Paper bank statements, credit card statements, monthly bills and other personal information thrown away is the perfect target for someone looking to steal your identity. By signing up for online banking and receiving eStatements, you limit your risk. And when you do have paper documents, be sure to shred them before throwing them away.
Check your online accounts often:
Once you have online banking, you have the ability to keep an eye on your finances on a daily basis! This may seem a little excessive, but by checking your account daily, you will know immediately if there are fraudulent charges on your accounts or credit cards.
Don’t sign into your accounts while on public wifi:
You have a few hours with nothing planned, so you grab your laptop and hit the coffee shop where they have free public wifi. You get the customer password, log in and get down to work. THIS is not the place to catch up on your online banking! Do not risk giving people access to your personal accounts while using public wifi. Wait until you are home or on a secure network.
Look for affordable ID protection:
By taking the above steps, you limit your risk of ID theft, but the BEST way to protect your accounts and your identity is through an identity protection service. This is why Blue Chip has partnered with SHERPA ID Protection to offer our members ID protection at a very reasonable cost. For only $5.99 a month you will receive credit bureau monitoring, monthly credit score monitoring, identity insurance up to $1 Million and much more!
Now through March 31st, we are offering our members one month free! Sign up today!
*Statistics provided by the Insurance Information Institute.