Protecting your financial information online
Identity theft online is a serious concern so it’s best that the investor should be wary of this. Financial and personal information should be kept confidential and safe as always whenever financial transactions are performed. There are many ways on how to safeguard identity and financial information when online. The simplest way is of course to protect the passwords and the PINs.
Sharing of passwords and security information is a big no-no. Passwords and other security information shouldn’t be kept in the computer and if you need to write it down, and then make sure that the piece of paper should be locked in a secure and a private place. Updating of passwords and security question on a regular basis is suggested. You can set-up a computer security for your laptop or personal computer. Personal firewalls and security software packages can help. The security system used in the computer should be up to date and should be set on automatic update if necessary. This is also true for the ant-virus software and program. It is safer to use your own personal computer than use public terminals. If there is a need to use another computer for a reason then make sure that you delete ‘Temporary Internet Files’ or ‘Clear Cache’ and clear the history so that the next user cannot not visit the sites that you have visited. When you visit a website, make sure that you completely log-out of the system once you are done. Remember that your last access to a site will end just because you close or minimize the window. Log out completely and avoid opening too many windows when doing your financial transactions online. Wireless connection is all the rage right now and there are wireless zones on coffee shops and bars. Use this system with care since the chance of signal interception is high here. And if possible make sure that the site you’re visiting is a secure site.
