When you arrive home, what are the first things you do?
You lock your car, then you go inside and lock your doors.
It doesn’t matter which neighborhood you live in; you just take the extra security steps out of habit. So, why not do the same thing with your personal information?
Almost everything we do today requires a PIN or password, and it can be difficult to keep track of them all. Kimberly Reece, Financial Crimes Customer Advocacy Manager
Because, as technology continues to improve, so do the schemes used by criminals. If you let your guard down, they can gain access to your computer or mobile device. Dumpster divers can retrieve pertinent info from the trash. And once they have what they’re looking for, fraudsters have entrée to seizing the keys to your finances – PINs and password – and can access your accounts at will.
“Almost everything we do today requires a PIN or password, and it can be difficult to keep track of them all,” said Kimberly Reece, a member of the Regions Fraud Strategy Customer Experience team. “It may be tempting to use the same password for everything. Likewise, it may seem smart to write it down somewhere in case you forget it. But people often don’t realize how risky these moves can be.”
In her role as Digital and Authentication Fraud Analytics Manager, Sam Swords sees trends criminals utilize in real time. Using that experience, she provided these easy-to-follow suggestions.
5 Tips to Keep Your PINs and Passwords Safe
- Don’t write PINs and passwords down (in a notebook, on your card, in your wallet, etc.) and don’t store them in an email or notes app on your computer or mobile device. Use a password manager instead.
- Never share your PIN or password with anyone! Be cautious of fraudsters who may contact you impersonating a bank employee or a respected business. If you didn’t initiate the call, never share personal information.
- Create passwords that are difficult for others to guess. Avoid using things like birthdays, pet’s or kids’ names, sequential numbers (123456), etc. Again, a password manager can generate a new password and remember it for you.
- Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts or reuse old passwords.
- Use multi-factor authentication and/or biometrics when available.
Keep this in mind: the FBI has some great tips on how to create safer passwords.
Just remember, preserving access to your important information is not merely good practice – it leads to peace of mind.
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The information presented is general in nature and should not be considered, legal, accounting or tax advice. Regions reminds its customers that they should be vigilant about fraud and security and that they are responsible for taking action to protect their computer systems. Fraud prevention requires a continuous review of your policies and practices, as the threat evolves daily. There is no guarantee that all fraudulent transactions will be prevented or that related financial losses will not occur. Visit regions.com/STOPFRAUD or speak with your Banker for further information on how you can help prevent fraud.
