5 Simple Things I Do to Secure My Financial Safety

It seems like every time I watch the news or open the Internet, I'm seeing something new about identity theft or threats to the security of my personal and financial information. It appears that as society manages to educate and protect itself against one set of potential security breaches, another three pop up.

However, while I know that even the most neurotically safe person can't always keep their privacy intact, I've been reasonably successful so far in keeping my financial and personal information secure by sticking to the following tactics.

Credit Checks

When I first started running credit checks for my family at www.annualcreditreport.com, I did all three free credit reporting agencies at the same time. I soon realized that it was more effective when watching and protecting our credit to break up these checks throughout the year. Therefore, I adjusted my strategy, running one report for each of us every four months instead of all at once.

Regular Account Checks

I try to check my most pertinent accounts weekly, just to make sure everything is in line and matches up. From bank accounts to credit card accounts, having an idea of where you stand can not only ensure that you catch any mistakes or issues before much time has passed, but it can help you stay on top of your personal financial situation, which can be a good thing in itself.

Shredding Documents

I shred just about everything I don't need that has my name or address on it. From junk mail to old bills and tax information, I find no reason not to shred it if I no longer need it. This keeps this information from falling into the wrong hands in the event of a burglary or even when just putting it out with the regular trash.

Going Paperless

I don't have the faith in the US Postal Service that I once did. I've gotten the neighbors' mail just a few times too many to be comfortable with where my most personal of documents might be floating off to. While this doesn't mean I still don't have to entrust the US mail with important financial documents from time to time, the more I can have account statements, bills, and payments sent electronically, the more comfortable I'm finding I am with not having to worry about my financial safety.

Daily Virus Scans and Regular Password Changes

However, with more of my information being sent to me electronically, I need to ensure that my source of viewing that information is secure. This means that having a secure Internet connection and updated virus protection software that I run on a daily basis (sometimes multiple times per day if visiting a variety of websites) helps keep my computer and personal information safer.

I also tend to change passwords to my various accounts with regularity in the event that my computer is somehow compromised. Changing these passwords and making sure that passwords are different from account to account helps reduce the chance this if one account is compromised, others would in turn be accessible with the same or similar password.

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Disclaimer:

The author is not a licensed financial professional. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Any action taken by the reader due to the information provided in this article is solely at the reader's discretion.