Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today recognized January 28, 2017 as Data Privacy Day and shared a few tips to help citizens protect their personal information.Data Privacy Day is an international effort held annually on January 28 to create awareness about the importance of privacy and protecting personal information.
“The more conversation we have around privacy threats, the more educated we can be in preventing criminals from compromising our data,” said Schuette. “Technology is such an intimate part of our lives that its presence has dangerously lowered our guard. It can be difficult to spot a fraud and takes preparation. Following some basic practices are easy and can greatly safeguard our personal identities, as well as the identities of those we love.”
Schuette issued a short video with a few tips on how to defend against scams. The tips include:
- Know who you’re dealing with before sharing information – Identity thieves may pose as representatives from banks, businesses, or even government agencies. If in doubt, contact the organization directly.
- Use login approvals or two-step verifications – This is one of the best and easiest ways to protect personal accounts from hacking.
- Take advantage of privacy settings – You don’t have to share everything with everyone. Make sure your data is being used the way you want it to be.
- Use different passwords for different websites.
- Keep software and apps up to date.
- Before sharing a link, always think twice – Once you share something online it is out there. Be cautious when making your own post or sharing someone else’s post. Are you sharing too much personal information? How will what you post be perceived in the future?
- Remember to always be vigilant with all personal information – Especially your credit cards, bank account numbers and social security number.
For more information and tips about how to safeguard your personal information online, visit the Stay Safe Online website.
