Tips for Staying Safe Online

Here are some steps to protect your sensitive data:

• Use multifactor authentication (MFA) everywhere it is available. Using multiple factors to authenticate into an account makes it much more difficult for hackers to access your accounts.
• Be vigilant in spotting phishing attacks. These ploys aim to trick you into sharing your passwords, account numbers, or other sensitive information. If that happens, fraudsters can access and control your accounts. Don’t open or respond to suspicious or unsolicited phone calls, emails, or texts.
• Use antivirus software and update software, hardware, and applications. Updates include security upgrades to keep your devices safe.
• Use a different password for every site and create complex passphrases with 12 or more characters. A 12-character password takes 62 trillion times longer to crack than a 6-character password.
• Be wary of oversharing information online. Fraudsters use overshared data on social media channels for social engineering attacks.
• Consider placing a temporary credit freeze at no cost, as described in this U.S. government alert.
• Place a unique password on your home Wi-Fi network.
• Report identity theft and cybersecurity incidents.
  • If you are the victim of online or internet-enabled crime, file a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
  • Phishing and identity theft concerns can be reported through FTC.gov.