Stay Alert and Stay Safe Online

APCO Employees Credit Union is committed to the safety and confidentiality of your records, but others online may not be. Identity theft is one of the most vicious crimes out there. Here are some tips to help you protect yourself.

Learn to Spot Scams

Be cautious of anyone asking you to deposit an item into your account and immediately wire or send a portion of the funds elsewhere. The scammer usually requests you to send those funds via MoneyGram, Western Union or prepaid Visa Gift Cards, and deposit them into an account at another financial institution.

Bonus Tip: Always tell a Credit Union employee if you are concerned or unsure of a check that is being deposited into your account.

Examine Your Financial Statements

Review your financial statements monthly and check carefully for fraudulent activity. Report any suspicious charges immediately.

Bonus Tip: Sign up for alerts and limit your credit card activity to a specific geographical area. Shred all aged documents that contain sensitive information.

Choose Strong Passwords

Use different, strong passwords for each of your accounts and devices.

Bonus Tip: Stay away from numbers that mean something to you (birthdays, phone numbers, social security numbers, special dates, street addresses, etc.).

Protect Your Computer

Invest in a strong anti-spyware program to protect your hardware from hackers.

Bonus Tip: Encrypt your hard drive for an extra level of protection.

Be Wary of Suspicious Emails and Websites

Don’t open suspicious-looking emails or click on links for unfamiliar sites. Only do business online with places you know.

Bonus Tip: If your inbox is flooded with promotional emails, unsubscribe from some of them. This will help you spot the truly bad apples.

Use Two-Factor Authentication

The extra log-in step will help ward off scammers and add another layer of security to your accounts.

Bonus Tip: Never elect to have a device ‘‘remember your password” for a site that involves payments of any kind.

Avoid Public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi is a great hunting ground for thieves; steer clear if you can. At the very least, avoid all online banking or password logins while using public Wi-Fi.

Bonus Tip: Secure your own home Wi-Fi with a strong password.