Contactless payments exploded in popularity in spring 2020 when the coronavirus upended how many people think about their daily interactions, including how they pay. But social distancing aside, do these advances actually make life any easier and safer?
According to the FBI, $2.7 billion in online theft and fraud was reported to the agency in 2019. While funds are protected up to $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration, what else can credit unions provide to keep your accounts safe? And what can you do?
The security of everything that requires a password, including your financial accounts, streaming accounts, email inbox, and even your garage code, depends on how strong and safe your logins are today. Strong passwords are key to your security, but the challenge is to create passwords you can actually remember, without resorting to unsafe habits — like reusing the same login for multiple accounts. Here’s some advice on how to create strong passwords and keep them safe.
In this time of concern about coronavirus, scammers are taking advantage of fears caused by the pandemic. Here are some common coronavirus-related scams and tips to help you protect yourself.
Phishing, a form of identity theft, is when scammers use fraudulent websites and fake emails to attempt to steal victims’ personal data, especially passwords and credit card information. Although this is not a new type of theft, many consumers are unaware of phishing and how to protect their personal information. Here is more information about phishing and how to keep your data safe.
Tax season is upon us again. Whether it’s your first time filing or you’re trying to get a head start this year, we have some tips to help you file your taxes safely.
Now that tax time is here, it is important to be aware of possible tax fraud and tax-related identity theft. Identity theft happens when an individual’s Social Security Number and other personal identification information has been stolen. In the case of tax fraud, the information is used to file a false tax return resulting in the tax refund being sent to the fraudster. There are some steps to take to reduce your risk.
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Often times during the holiday season, there is a higher risk of malware viruses. It is important to be aware of the possibility of your computer being affected by malware and what you can do to prevent it from happening to you.
Spring is finally in the forecast in Michigan (at least a little bit). I don’t know about you, but I’m most motivated in the spring. The sun and warmth and melting snow makes me ready for anything. But, there’s definitely still some cold weather ahead. Why not take a cloudy afternoon or evening and spring clean your finances?
Have you looked at your credit report lately? Your credit report lists your personal information and your loans and is the basis for your credit score. You know having a high credit score is important, but part of positive credit is making sure your credit report is accurate.
Are you ready for the busiest shopping time of the year? Thanksgiving weekend kicks off holiday shopping season and we want to make sure you’re prepared to shop smart. Take a look at the upcoming weekend day-by-day to help make your shopping adventures stress-free.
You may have received a new debit or credit card recently and noticed something different. Now debit and credit cards are becoming equipped with the latest fraud-preventing technology—an EMV chip. With large amounts of fraud occurring around the world, Europay, MasterCard, and Visa created EMV to better protect consumers and retailers.
Every year around the holidays it seems there is another big store that has a data breach. Usually, the data breach means your credit card data has been stolen. Any information you’ve ever given a company could be stolen in a data breach, and thieves can then create fake cards or make online purchases using your card information.
How do you keep your information out of the hands of thieves? And if your information is part of a data breach, how do you protect yourself?