Protect Yourself Against Fraud: 4 Essential Tools

In an increasingly digital world, protecting yourself against fraud has never been more important. Fortunately, there are several tools available to help you safeguard your financial and personal information. Here, we discuss four essential tools that can help you stay one step ahead of fraudsters.

Setting Up Alerts in Banking Apps: Setting up alerts in your banking apps notifies you of account activity, such as transactions and changes to your account information. By receiving real-time updates, you can quickly identify and respond to any suspicious activity. Most banking apps offer customizable, allowing you to choose what types of notifications you want to receive. Check out how to set up alerts in your MSCU mobile app!

Regularly Monitoring Your Credit Report: Regularly monitoring your credit report helps you spot unauthorized accounts or unexpected changes to your credit score. It's recommended to check your credit report at least once a year through services like AnnualCreditReport.com. If you notice any discrepancies, report them immediately to the credit bureau to mitigate potential damage. For more frequent, real-time updates on your credit, check out the credit tab in your MSCU mobile app! 

Using a Password Manager:A password manager helps you generate and store strong, unique passwords for all your accounts, ensuring you’re not using the same password across multiple sites. With a password manager, you can securely store your login information and access it with a single master password, simplifying the process of managing multiple accounts.

Better Business Bureau (BBB) Services: The Better Business Bureau (BBB) offers resources like the BBB Scam Tracker, allowing you to report scams and review reports of prevalent scams in your area. Staying informed about current scams can help you recognize and avoid them. The BBB also provides tips on what to do if you’ve been scammed and how to recover.

Protecting yourself against fraud requires vigilance and the right tools. By setting up alerts in your banking apps, regularly monitoring your credit report, using a password manager, and utilizing Better Business Bureau services, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to fraud. Stay proactive and informed to keep your personal and financial information secure.