Security

Why is your credit report important and how do you go about checking it? Watch this video to learn how: As mentioned in the video, you have the right to one free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, free credit reports are available on a weekly basis through April 2022. Order yours online from annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228.

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Tags: FREE CREDIT REPORT, IDENTITY THEFT

Personal information. Never share it. Ever. Protect your personal information (bank account number, Social Security number, and date of birth) as well as your Online Banking login credentials. At all times.   Cybercriminals keep finding new ways to attempt to defraud you. From being asked to make a mobile deposit from a computer screen while applying for a grant online to being “friended” by someone you don’t know on Instagram and being caught off guard, the scam methods

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Tags: FRAUD, IDENTITY THEFT

Cyber security awareness is something we all need to embrace. The more you know, the safer you are, and knowing is half the battle. In today’s world, more and more of our home devices (including thermostats, door locks, coffee machines, and smoke alarms) are connected to the Internet. This enables us to control our devices on our smartphones, no matter our location, which can in turn save us time and money while providing convenience and even safety.  These advances in technology are

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Tags: CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS, HOME DEVICES CYBER SECURITY

History is jammed packed with stories of innovative ways that scammers use to trick people to give them their money.  Scams often seem distant and unlikely — until they happen to you. Don’t be fooled. Protect yourself from becoming a victim by watching out for these five signs: An Unexpected Request It is unusual for someone you know to make an unexpected request for money. If your friend or relative contacts you asking for money, contact them through another means before

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Tags: FINANCIAL SCAMS, GIFT CARDS, SCAM WARNING SIGNS

During the holiday season, millions of people will be looking online to buy the perfect gifts. What’s not to love? You make a list, check it twice, and then shop shop shop. It’s fast, convenient, and lets you avoid the crowds, however online shopping may make you vulnerable to identity theft. Here are some helpful tips to stay safe when shopping via the internet this holiday season: Shop at websites you trust On the web, some businesses are fabricated by cyber criminals who are

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Tags: Cyber-security

Passwords. Passwords. Passwords. Every day we are required to input passwords. Let’s be honest, passwords are a pain. We all know that good ones protect us from hackers, but it’s a real challenge to create and remember strong passwords for all our online accounts. Creating a secure password is more crucial than ever because our lives are often spent in the digital universe: social media, banking, email, shopping, and more. So, how do you create strong passwords that you can recall

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Tags: Cyber-security

It’s a staggering number. More than 42 million Americans owe a total of nearly $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. It’s no wonder people look for help. But not all help is legit. Scammers are targeting borrowers with student loan debt relief schemes that can actually make things worse.  In a new case announced recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleges the operators of Mission Hills Federal and Federal Direct Group bilked borrowers out of more than $23 million. The FTC

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Tags: STUDENT LOAN DEBT SCAM

Gift cards are a popular and convenient way to give someone a gift. They’re also a popular way for scammers to steal money from you. That’s because gift cards are like cash: if you buy a gift card and someone uses it, you probably cannot get your money back. Gift cards are for gifts, not payments. Anyone who demands payment by gift card is ALWAYS a scammer. Many different kinds of imposters ask you to pay with gift cards. Someone might call you and claim to be from the IRS, collecting

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Tags: GIFT CARD SCAM

A credit card thief can get your card information by using a device called a Credit Card Skimmer. Skimmers are any number of devices made to be affixed to an ATM or a gas pump and secretly record credit and debit card information when customers slip their cards into or through the machines to pull out money or to pay for gas. The criminals later retrieve the devices that store your information and use or sell it to other criminals who use it, and your credit card is charged. Here are some tips

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Mobile devices, such as smartphones, smart watches, and tablets, continue to advance and innovate at an astonishing rate. As a result, some people replace their mobile devices as frequently as every year. Unfortunately, people often do not realize how much personal data is on these devices. Below we cover what may be on your mobile device and how you should securely wipe it before disposing of it. If your mobile device was issued to you by your employer, or has any work data stored on it, be sure

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Tags: SECURE MOBILE DEVICE DISPOSAL