Safeguard on Personal and Financial Data

With the advancements of technology, a lot of internet services such as Facebook and PBeBank enables and provides sharing of personal details and financial transactions. Without a proper safeguard on these data, it can lead to internet fraud and scam that will cause financial loss and inconvenience to the internet users.

Here are some suggestions available in the prevention of it:

Strong Password Protections
Choose strong passwords that are barely predictable and hardly expected by others. This can include using a combination of numbers and letters like w4t3r (water). Although most users would usually choose something that can be easily remembered, however this might not be a wise decision as to be easily remembered also implies that it has a higher chance of being easily predicted. Therefore never ever use personal information that can be easily accessed or predictable such as your birth date as your password.

Use and Update Anti-Virus Software and Firewall
Use an anti-virus software and a firewall to protect yourself against viruses and Trojan horses that may cause your data to be stolen or modified. With the help of a firewall, you can protect your computer against improper access from unauthorized person. A firewall blocks and filters some of the illegal access from hackers. Besides that, by having the antivirus software installed and frequently updated, new threats such as viruses, worms and other malware may be eliminated and thus safeguarding your personal and financial data as it should be.

Avoid Accessing Financial Information in Public
Prevent yourself from logging in to check and make financial transactions when you are using a public network such as in a coffee shop that offers wireless access or through public computers. For example, Starbucks and cyber cafes. Although this might seem convenient to users, but the strength of their safeguard such as firewall is unknown. Besides, the open environment might allow the public to observe and perhaps see the private and confidential data you are working with.

Avoid Access to Unknown Sites
Avoid giving your personal information to other unknown parties online, whether it is via e-mail or publish of personal data in blogs or websites. Besides that, also remember to make sure you are in the right legitimate website before entering personal information or making a financial transaction, not a phishing website.

Avoid Granting the Use of Personal Computer to a 3rd Party
Remember that your own computer contains a lot of private and confidential information such as passwords saved, history and cookies that will retain the data from the web page that have been accessed. Thus, if your computer is being stolen or being used by a 3rd party, private information may be easily retrieved and duplicated. Therefore, avoid putting sensitive information in the computer and if there is any lock, it is advisable to impose them to the folder.