From paper-less cloud based portal, a secure website for delivery of information for us to you as well as for you to us, to secure data center, to shred paper document services to safely dispose of confidential records, we make every effort to protect your personal information.
What can you do to protect yourself?
- Don’t carry your social security card in your wallet.
- Don’t give a business your social security number just because they ask for it.
- Protect your financial information, shred old documents or secure those you need to retain.
- Check your credit report at least every 12 months.
- Secure your personal information at home.
- Protect your personal computers using a firewall and anti-virus software.
- Protect your cell phones too, especially if you access bank accounts via mobile applications.
- Don’t provide personal information over the phone unless you initiated the call or are certain as to whom you are speaking.
Cyber Security
Cyber security is important for emails, text messages, and phone calls. To mitigate threats:
- Use encryption software for sensitive data.
- Don’t use obvious passwords.
- Use one computer for sensitive information, and restrict access to the computer by others.
- Don’t click on an email attachment unless you are absolutely sure you know who the sender is.
- Shred bank statements, credit card statements, etc. as soon as possible.
- Freeze access to your credit reports if you do not expect to apply for additional credit.
- Advise family members of good security practices.
- A Mac is preferable to the PC, because Macs are generally more secure.
- Ask your advisors what security procedures they are using.
- Use apps like RedPhone and Wickr for your sensitive phone calls, text messages and emails.
- Use a safe surfing tool like McAfee Site Advisor.
Social Engineering Attacks
The tech industry has seen a surge in CryptoLocker virus, aka ransomware, designed to infiltrate your data and encrypt it, making it completely inaccessible. As a best practice reminder:
- Be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, visits, or email messages asking for information.
- Do not provide personal information unless you are certain of a person’s authority to have access.
- Do not reveal personal or financial information in email, and do not follow links sent.
- Don’t send sensitive information over the Internet before checking a website’s security.
- Check the URL-malicious websites may look identical to a legitimate site, but may use a variation in spelling or a different domain.
- Verify a legitimate email request by contacting the company directly.
- Install and maintain anti-virus software, firewalls and email filters.
