online security
online security
By Kirsten Otto

Today we have the quickest easiest access to our financial information than ever before. It’s great! By logging in online, you can view financial information from your bank, credit card or investments on each company’s website. And, if you’ve set up your profile on our Christian Financial Advisors® System you can view ALL your financial accounts and documents in one place (Click here for more info). Banks, investment & credit card companies employ the highest form of security protocols to protect your information in their systems because it is some of the most sensitive.

But, did you know that part of the task to keep your information safe online falls to you? That part is your password. Here are some tips regarding passwords to help you keep your info safe online.

  • A strong password is at least 8 characters long, with a combination of upper & lower case letters, numbers & symbols
  • Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts, especially for your email address. Usually your email address is linked to your financial online account, and anyone who gains access to your email could then more easily gain access to all your other accounts. Using different passwords makes it difficult for a hacker to gain access if you are targeted.
  • Never use your name, birthdate, social security number, or other personal information as part of your password.
  • Be wary of emails received from a financial institution directing you to click on a link and then enter your username and password. Always verify an email like this directly with the company if you aren’t expecting it.
  • Finally, here’s a tip to create an easy to remember, strong password. Think of a phrase that is easy to remember like “My first pet was a dog named Rover”. Then take the first letter of each word and put it together along with a number and special character, or an abbreviation of something that is included in the sentence. Your password would look like this “M1stpwadnR!

 

It is a robust password, and it is easy to remember!

Click below to read other articles from the Christian Financial Advisors® July 2016 Newsletter