3 Resources You Can Use to Keep Yourself Safe
It’s truly difficult to keep your data private and secure nowadays. Just this spring, tens of millions of people had their health information stolen and over 400,000 people had their retirement plan information leaked. It’s brutal out here.
While you can’t completely eliminate your risk – using online services means having to share data with them – you can reduce the ripple effect these sorts of breaches have. Here are three resources you can use to stay on top of your security and keep your risk level to a minimum.
1. Password managers
You’ve probably heard this over and over again: stop reusing passwords. But that’s not all: use complex passwords, don’t use birthdays and anniversaries, make it a passphrase instead of a word…it’s a lot to keep track of, especially when you have logins for dozens of apps and websites. Fortunately, there are tools called password managers (or password vaults) that can manage this for you. These tools are able to not only save your various passwords and autofill them on websites for you, they can also generate complex, hard-to-crack passwords automatically. All you need to do is come up with one solid, complex password to get into your password manager and the rest is handled for you.
2. Multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a system that requires you to verify your identity in several ways before allowing you access to your account. This can be through a code sent to you through email or text, biometrics like fingerprint or facial recognition, or a code from a one-time-password (OTP) generator We cannot emphasize this one enough: use multi-factor authentication if it’s available. Using MFA makes it significantly more difficult for someone to fraudulently access your account.
3. Account alerts
While using complex passwords and MFA makes it harder for someone to fraudulently access your account, it’s still not impossible. Jeanne D’Arc Online & Mobile Banking offers account alerts and notifications so that you can keep tabs on your money. Card Manager also allows you to turn your cards on and off, add travel notices, report lost or stolen cards easily, and more.
Bonus: The Money Mill Blog
Last, but certainly not least, is the Money Mill Blog. The key is to stay educated and stay vigilant. Check in often for updates on trends we’re seeing in fraud attempts, security tips, new Jeanne D’Arc accounts and services, and other financial news and information. Subscribe to the blog to get updates so you never miss a post.