Disclosure: This is a sponsored conversation on behalf of Armed Forces Insurance (AFI). All thoughts and opinions are our own.
Your spouse protects our country and you protect your family on the Homefront, but who is in charge of your military family’s online security?
Identity theft is real and it’s important to take the necessary steps to protect you, your loved ones and your finances from online security risks. It’s all too easy to assume that “it will never happen to me,” but when it comes down to it, if all you have to do are a few simple steps, then why not take preventative measures?
Here’s how to protect your family’s security, assets and information from online threats:
- Secure your Wi-Fi — Utilize secured Wi-Fi that is password-protected to make your information less accessible to hackers. Secure your home Wi-Fi with a challenging password that utilizes both upper and lowercase letters and numbers.
- Consider the source — If you receive a message from an unknown source, think before you click on links or open/download attachments.
- Turn on parental controls — Restrict your child’s access to inappropriate content, unauthorized purchases and strangers on digital TVs, computers and mobile devices.
- Set device PIN/passwords — Protect the information in your phone or device by securing it with a passcode or PIN (six digits are an extra precautionary measure over only four digits).
- Frequently change passwords — Don’t use the same password for every account. A good rule of thumb is to change passwords once a month. You can always add a digit at the end of your password and increase that number each month.
- Sign out — Before you walk away from your social media, email, online banking, credit card account, etc., make a habit of signing out to protect your information.
- Utilize two-step authentication — Signing in with a password and then receiving a unique login code via text will further safeguard your information.
- Utilize end-to-end encryption — Email and social media accounts aren’t the safest methods of transferring sensitive information because the accounts can be viewed on multiple devices simultaneously. Download an app with end-to-end encryption that is only available on your phone and the receiver’s phone.
- Update privacy settings — Check the privacy settings for your social media accounts to see what information is publicly available and who your audience is.
- Set up alerts — Keep tabs on your financial accounts with alerts that notify you of large purchases, your balance dropping below a certain amount, and/or if someone has logged into your account from another location.
- Utilize identity theft advocacy services — Enjoy the benefits of proactive services and get connected with a personal advocate to protect you from fraud and restore your identity, credit and good name.
Sponsored: The trusted professionals with Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) have supported military families for over 130 years. In addition to extensive insurance coverage, personal service and competitive rates, their clients also receive complimentary Identity Theft Advocacy Services at no extra charge. To learn how AFI can protect your military family from fraud, online threats and more, please click here.
