What You Need to Know About Data Breaches
By Cindy Cabbage, Assistant Vice President Loda Facility
In
recent months, data breaches have been the subject of many headlines. Large retailers like Target, The Home Depot, Neiman Marcus, Michael’s, and most recently Kmart have been targeted, making vulnerable thousands of pieces of valuable customer information.
Given these recent compromises, it would be normal to ask, “Will my information ever be safe?” While it’s impossible to know exactly when the next data breach will strike, here are a few facts and suggestions you can learn from recent data breaches to help keep your private information as secure as possible:
A data breach can happen anywhere anytime to anyone.
The fact is, you can be as careful as possible and still become a victim of a data breach when shopping with your debit or credit card. Identity thieves are continually growing more sophisticated in their tactics, using complex malware to compromise point of sale terminals. Cash is always a safe alternative when you shop since no identifying information is used to process the transaction.
Be proactive.
Make sure you carefully monitor the monthly statements of your debit and credit cards. Review all transactions and contact your financial institution as soon as you suspect a fraudulent charge. Also remember that when you shop online, use a credit card over a debit card, as it is not directly linked to a bank account.
Create unique passwords and logins.
It seems like every website involves a username and password, and while it’s tempting to use the same one over and over, doing so can increase the harm if your identity is stolen. Recent breaches are suspected to have affected billions of username and password combinations. Using the same login information across several websites (e.g. your financial institutions, credit cards, online shopping accounts) makes it easier for identity thieves to strike multiple places.
Get identity protection services.
While convenient, the digital world we live in can be unpredictable. Therefore, it is important to take the necessary steps to safeguard your digital identity. Utilizing an identity protection service offered by one of the three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) not only helps you keep your identity safe, but also assists you if you find your personal information has been compromised.
As the holiday shopping season approaches, or even when you are just running errands, remember the first step in preventing identity theft is to make sure you’re careful with your information.
